By Jeremy Smith
MELBOURNE — A fiery meeting of 250 community activists on June 15 launched a campaign against VicRoads' proposals to expand the F19 freeway. With the exception of the VicRoads' representative, a panel of speakers roundly condemned moves by the state government to further the erosion of inner city communities. It was clear that community opposition to the proposals is widespread in Fitzroy, Collingwood and Carlton.
The campaign is being organised by the Campaign Against Freeway Extensions. CAFE is an umbrella group which includes Friends of the Earth, the Public Transport Users Association, Greenpeace, the People's Committee for Melbourne, Save the Upfield Line and People for Environmentally Sustainable Transport. CAFE is campaigning not only against the freeway extension but also for cheaper and viable public transport alternatives.
VicRoads proposes to widen Alexandra Parade, the western exit of the freeway, by two lanes. Currently, the exit carries more than 70,000 vehicles per day. The works, projected to cost $12 million, will begin in earnest in September and be completed by early 1996. VicRoads claims that the construction will improve the efficiency and safety of the freeway.
In a series of counter-claims, CAFE highlights a number of faults with VicRoads' arguments. CAFE claims that the expansion will bring a 50% traffic increase on Alexandra Parade, worsen peak hour traffic, deter pedestrian use of Alexandra Parade and drastically increase air pollution in the inner city.
Professor Bill Russell, the author of a major report on public transport for the former Labor government, condemned the move as the actions of a government with outdated ideas about transport. He pointed out that since the early 1980s, 90 cities in the world have ditched freeway construction and adopted policies promoting light rail alternatives. Suppressed VicRoads figures demonstrated that public transport alternatives to the plans for the F19 could save the Victorian taxpayer as much as $800 million.
The meeting ended by unanimously passing a motion of opposition to VicRoads' plans, calling for a non-violent campaign to stop construction. Cam Walker, a campaign coordinator, told Green Left Weekly, "Generally, we're very happy with the launch. This is the first stage of a long-term campaign. So far it's been local people doing it. From here we expect things to really develop."
CAFE is organising a protest picnic and march on Sunday, July 3, in Alexandra Parade, next to the Fitzroy baths, starting at 12 noon. CAFE can be contacted through Friends of the Earth, 312 Smith St, Collingwood.