New benchmark set by Infrastructure Australia

This applies to the NEL

and the new Rail announcement:

Infrastructure Australian says in guidelines published 24th July 2018 (https://goo.gl/ryN9P7):

“Ultimately, we want to ensure that community needs are properly understood, all options considered and communities consulted before projects are committed…”

“We want to see Australia’s governments do more to engage with communities, both in communicating long-term infrastructure plans, problem identification and by incorporating community input in a meaningful way into the project development processes.”

“Part of this involves being more transparent around project decision-making by publicly releasing the analysis and processes that form the basis of funding decisions…”

WATAG totally agrees with the above Infrastructure Australia quotes.

As far as NELA is concerned, the horse has left the stable as far as showing how it fits with the Victorian Transport Integration Act and provides for Active Transport in an equitable way. But the situation can be somewhat retrieved if NELA listens to the CTDG – Walking & Cycling and incorporates Active Transport ideas into the Reference Design.

And there is still plenty of scope for more transparency and release of analysis to show the full effect of the NEL on areas in Whitehorse City south of the Eastern Freeway and east of Bulleen Rd. A full study into the potential effect on central Box Hill and roads leading to it should be mandatory.