KEY TO TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK IS TRAINS NOT ROADS

THE pledge by the Liberal Opposition to “bust gridlock” (GA 18/8) by duplicating Barwon Heads road is fanciful.

The former head of VicRoads noted that you can’t build your way out of road congestion. As we see in Australia and around the world, it doesn’t take long for new major roads to become clogged with cars.

That’s because providing more road space actually increases traffic congestion by encouraging more people to drive more often and to drive further. The only effective way “solve” the problem of road congestion is to reduce the amount of traffic.

Against all the evidence, the Opposition apparently thinks its road expansion scheme will work this time. As Einstein said, the definition of madness is repeating a failed strategy in the hope it will work next time.

We know that switching journeys from cars to sustainable, active transport modes — walking, cycling and public transport — will reduce traffic congestion.

And yet the rapidly expanding Armstrong Creek development has no internal public transport at all. Residents are being locked into car dependence, so it’s not surprising there is a growing traffic problem there.

Ironically, in the same edition of the Advertiser, there was news of the duplication of the rail line to Waurn Ponds. That is a project that will really help limit the increase in road traffic in the area.

However, the provision of a comprehensive bus network within Armstrong Creek can be done much more quickly and it will be even more effective.

Where is the Opposition’s plan to do that? What is the current State Government doing?

The need to deal with the car de- pendence of this rapidly-expanding area is urgent, but the solution is not a self-defeating plan to provide yet more major road space. Paul Westcott, Geelong branch, Public Transport Users Association