"Extended clearways will not reduce road congestion or assist trams or buses or their passengers to get to their destinations more quickly or more safely. Nor will they help the government meet its fast disappearing target of 20% of trips by public transport by 2020," said Ms Pennicuik.

"Extended clearways will simply attract more cars and while clearway times are in place, cars will just race up beside trams in order to pass them and stop in front of them at traffic lights. This will hold up trams and getting on and off them will become even more dangerous.

"I use trams all the time and during clearway times, the cars just whiz by them when people are trying to get on and off. There is little that tram drivers can do about it.

"This is just another case of 'wrong way, go back' with this government which is not serious about sustainable transport solutions for Melbourne," she said. "Instead it is continuing to put the bulk of its transport budget into roads, with funding for roads outstripping public transport funding by three to one in the recent state budget.

"Instead of extending clearways, the state government should extend public transport, so that more peak hour commuters can use trams, trains and buses. There is no reason why Melbourne can’t have an extensive, reliable and convenient public transport system like Vancouver, Amsterdam or Copenhagen, except for a total lack of vision from the government," Ms Pennicuik said.


For further information:  Sue Pennicuik   0407 000 270