How to waste billions

THE $5.5 billion West Gate Tunnel Project will reduce travel time between Geelong and Melbourne by up to 12 minutes, Transurban says.

But how to reduce travel time through Geelong? Rob Jenner

If they updated the train service, then they wouldn’t need to add a tunnel that will only save 12 minutes, because less people will drive. Maddison Scarff

And what of all the extra traffic from out of the house farms around Werribee and Point Cook? Last year alone travel time blew out by 12 minutes. How about a whole new bypass and a tunnel from Pt Henry to Pt Lonsdale? Not to mention the house farms around Geelong, all those people don’t work in Geelong. Lachlan Cairney

Actually in 2028 when it is finished there will be twice as many cars so it won’t make a difference. Jeremy King

$5.5 billion for 12 minutes. Janine May

Running trains express from Geelong to Melbourne would save more than 12 minutes and not cost much money to implement. David Patterson

One of the most ridiculous stats in a long time — 12 minutes from Geelong. Is that guaranteeing no bottlenecks and no accidents and extended lanes to deal with the increase in actual traffic before it’s built? Waste of money. Meanwhile our roads are in a dangerous condition and new growth areas are dealing with merging and two lanes feeding an expected growth of 40,000 people. And suburban trains are full to overflowing. Cancelled services and new stations with no rolling stock to deal with the new users. Andrew R Coomber

Will do nothing for the Princess Freeway Western Ring Road bottleneck. Doug Gilham

Twelve minutes. All that money. You’ve got to be joking. Lou Starcevic

$5.5 billion for saving 12 minutes? Is it just me or do other people think politicians are just insane? Heidrun Kneebone

If it’s a toll road then Victorians do not want it, that’s why Daniel Andrews got elected. No more toll roads. Kriströður Úlfurson