Moreland Greens media release

Greens says extension of clearway hours wrong answer, says Government
failing to ask the right question
Moreland Greens councillor Andrea Sharam said that the real issue was
about getting people out of cars, onto bikes, into walking and onto
public transport.
Ms Sharam said that the Victorian government’s plan to extend
clearway times to 6.30am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm:
• would harm retail trading and compromise the viability of many inner city
shopping strips
• did not consider that increasing the hostility of a street by
increasing the clearway times discouraged pedestrians and tram users
• that congestion acts to calm traffic and discourages car use
• that tram travel times could be improved through other measures such as
priority signalling, no right hand turns for vehicles, raised platform
- curb extension type tram stops that force vehicles to slow down and
stop for passengers
• that tram travel time is only one measure of satisfaction for tram
patrons – trying to get on or off a tram during peak hours where
clearways operate, for example, is dangerous.
She said that it was a policy that put car travel first and disregarded
the many negative consequences and alternatives. “And let’s not forget
that the Citylink freeway was supposed to solve the problem – clearly it
hasn’t and neither will turning inner city shopping strips into little
freeways for a longer part of the day.”

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