Time to get you up to date with our campaign to preserve the land threatened by the Western Highway Duplication’s deviation. 

Our appeal was heard on 1-2 March. We are waiting for the judgement. Lawyer Michael Kennedy’s work on this has continued almost without a break for 5 years now. Meanwhile, the injunction stemming from the Thorpe/Merkel case continues.

Donations to cover court expenses can be made to;

 gofundme.com/f/review-the-route-in-ripon

We have been told by an internationally recognised professional the current project does not appear warranted by expected traffic volumes or the current safety record. 

For environmental reasons, KORS does not support new roads.

We accept that by the time KORS was formed, this road expansion was too far-advanced, now even partly built on a nearby section, to stop completely. 

So we want to reduce harm from it. 

On the 5.7 km deviation planned in the next stage of duplication, the route we propose, the Northern Option, needs half the length of road constructed from scratch and a small fraction of the earthworks. Because of this and a planned bridge it avoids, it can be built 6-9 months sooner. With good design, it saves native vegetation, trees, rare habitats and cultural heritage. 

Immediate, targeted safety measures along the Buangor to Ararat stretch will improve safety during the injunction and last week we wrote to local State representative Louise Staley calling for these while court processes unfold.             

 We have written opinion pieces for two local papers. Here’s one we did get in: https://www.araratadvertiser.com.au/story/7084007/your-say-keep-original-route-supporters-chairman-speaks-out/

Can you write to the local papers? This will help with the politics. The points below are easy to argue

-       Traffic volume, currently around 6000 vehicles per day, has not grown in line with earlier forecasts. If the upgrade proceeds, the road would have a capacity far in excess of the foreseeable or desirable usage. An article in the Ararat Advertiser claims traffic volumes will double by 2025! 

-       The road is not “deadly and dangerous” as claimed by Daniel Andrews. There have been no deaths for 20 years on the Buangor-Ararat stretch to be duplicated (Pope Road to Warrayatkin Road), according to a new safety report not published yet. Nevertheless, MRPV should take immediate action to prevent any fatalities.

-       If safety is the main aim, a reduced speed limit for around a kilometre from the railway bridge to Colonial Road will be more cost-effective, with no measurable difference to travel times or efficiency. Safety barriers, turning lanes, and disallowing right turns onto Hillside Road near the railway bridge would all increase safety.

-        The planned route is significantly more dangerous in construction than our proposed route that can be designed to have minimal earthworks because of all the truck movements needed for the major earthworks planned.

-       Only 30% of money to be spent on the project will be recouped, publicly + privately, after 30 years, according to a report obtained by lawyer Michael Kennedy. That’s a 70% loss-making project.

-       Near the current highway where an alternative route would run, no cultural heritage has been reported, with one scarred tree well clear at 50 metres north of the existing highway, as reported in the 2012 EES and recently confirmed.

-       A key planning document, the “Incorporated Document”, expired in 2017.  This gave the Planning Minister an excellent chance to embrace new information. Current delays have followed his refusal to do so. Further legal challenges can be avoided by a brief review. 

-    It is essential that grassroots groups hold out Government to account and we are not responsible for the unwise choices of our Government to disregard the new information and attempt to carry on.

-       VicRoads/MRPV’s repeated claims, refuted by us, that everything has been done rigorously give no confidence that the planning process is trustworthy or adequately addresses environmental decline.

     Copy us if you can! Independent reports are on our webpage:     https://www.fixfreewayfiasco.org/

Ararat Advocate and Pyrenees Advocate publisher@theadvocate.net.au

Ararat Advertiser https://www.araratadvertiser.com.au/story/6036638/send-a-letter-to-the-editor/

Weekly Advertiser, Horsham deanl@team.aceradio.com.au

Horsham Times    news@thehorshamtimes.com.au

Ballarat Courier (editor: Eugene Duffy).   eugene.duffy@fairfaxmedia.com.au