| Preserve Ringwood and its Surrounding Environment
(PRAISE) Submission
A brief history of community “consultation” Early protests led to the mooted Eastern Freeway extension up to Mt Dandenong Road being shelved from time to time. From mid 1975 the one issue became two: the eastern end of the Eastern Freeway was “hived off” to become the Ringwood Bypass road. Objectors had to fight on two fronts. During the mid 1980’s a series of residents’ meetings were held and the Ringwood Bypass Protest Group was formed. As a direct result of this, three people were eventually elected to Council in an effort to protect the Mullum Mullum valley. There were many more well-attended public meetings and protests—right up to the destruction of the Ringwood end of the valley and the completion of Stage 1 of the Bypass road. 3,000 residents had signed a petition against the Ringwood Bypass road, thousands more were lulled into a false sense of security, as they felt that “it wouldn’t affect them”. Giving an appearance of ”even handedness”, advertisements appeared in local newspapers calling for applications from interested persons to sit on a Ringwood Bypass Community Liaison Committee. No one who was found to be against the Bypass was approved for the resulting committee which was formed in the early 1990’s. VicRoads held a series of meetings, with community objections receiving token acknowledgment. The meetings were often scenes of angry confrontation. VicRoads later held community workshops where only selected affected residents were invited by mail. The latest workshops were held in June 1999 where some of the affected residents were invited to choose between some seven alignments for the second stage of the Bypass road, all of which will drive a road of at least 6 lanes through the remainder of this fragile environment. Press releases appeared in local weekly newspapers in January 2000, offering residents a say (in what was described as a “rational and transparent” process) on the “options” proposed for the Eastern Freeway extension. The “options” are not options for the remaining section of the Mullum Mullum creek and its valley, between Deep Creek Road and Ringwood Street, Ringwood. All the options outline a six-lane freeway through that area, which will surely destroy it. The recent “Community Consultation” consisted of residents milling around a model of the Mullum Mullum Creek Valley and speaking individually with VicRoads and Department of Infrastructure personnel on Tunnel “Options”. Many of these staff gave inconclusive and conflicting replies. Reading between the lines, we discovered that the four “options” are concepts only, not detailed design drawings. We have since learned of a mistake in the reported tunnel measurement in one of the concepts, and another has the road partly outside the road reservation. A further possible fifth “option” has been reported in the local press. Meanwhile work continues apace. Given the history of this issue “community consultation” is seen
to be sham.
The legacy of the Ringwood Bypass Stage 1 The stretch of creek valley destroyed by the completed Bypass Road channels traffic to the Eastland shopping centre. The creek is now a stone-lined drain with strategically planted tussocks of designer grass; a concrete path winds alongside, and the road is lined by tall pink concrete walls. When the trees in the valley were felled and the creek bulldozed, much of the local fauna was killed. Koalas were found wandering in nearby Croydon and Ringwood East and were savaged by dogs or killed on the roads. Ringtail and Brushytail possums were killed when the trees were felled. Platypus and water rats crushed by the bulldozers and the native fish and frogs were destroyed. Birds including the endangered Powerful Owl suffered a loss of habitat. Hastily constructed earth banks are subsiding and causing damage to nearby units. Some of the few large gums saved have died or are dying. There are now fewer trees to cleanse the air in this part of Ringwood which now carries more traffic. Environmental issues particular to Ringwood at the present time Sites of Biological Significance in Maroondah, vol. 2 records for the remaining area of the Mullum Mullum valley in Ringwood: • the best group of Manna Gums in the Municipality (three identified
as “Notable Trees”);
The report lists as fauna:
This area threatened by the extension of the Eastern Freeway is of vital importance to Ringwood and its surrounding area. It can be said to be the “lungs” of central Ringwood. Whilst it has suffered from decades of neglect, enlightened observers value our creek valleys and gullies because unique and valuable flora and fauns are concentrated in these parts. The most vital value of mature trees is their capacity to trap airborne carbons and to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen to purify our polluted environment. Saplings or seedling trees cannot compensate for the wide-scale destruction of mature trees of any variety. The importance of water Australia is one of the world’s driest continents. Water is only now becoming a more valued resource as climate change continues. Our creeks and rivers need to be much better protected and enhanced, not turned into drains beside and under polluting freeways. There can be no justification for destroying natural water courses in this country for any purpose whatsoever! A new EES must be done! The last EES was done 13 years ago as The Eastern Arterial extension/Ringwood Bypass Issues Review—Final Assessment. In 13 years many things have changed. PRAISE draws particular attention to the fact that an EES for the Nelson Street alignment area was never done. Does the Labor Government intend to break its election promise to do a full EES on major projects? Air quality This is a vital issue and an independent and comprehensive study must be done before any work takes place in the Mullum Mullum Valley. A reading of the Eastern Arterial Extension/Ringwood Bypass Issues Review (September 1990) leads us to believe that air testing was inaccurate, rudimentary and heavily flawed. “Dr Ian Wallace, principal author of the Air Quality Study (AQS) acknowledged that there were several errors (typographical and omissions) in the (AQS)”. The most heavily disputed issue was that, given the topography and meteorological conditions of the Koonung Creek Valley, Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) would exceed EPA acceptable 24-hour average levels (the same would be the case in the Mullum Creek Valley). Despite this the Panel Report largely “hung its hat” on the recent introduction of catalytic converters (1986). The Recommendations 3.3 show remarkable naivety and are as follows: Rec. 2
Rec.3
It appears that the Panel expected the Government to pass legislation enforcing catalytic converters to be fitted on all vehicles in order to make Dr Wallace’s predictions fit. On the second recommendation it is unknown whether any further air quality modeling by VicRoads ever took place. We have been unable to find that it did. One needs to ask how many cars in Victoria are still on leaded petrol? What are the effects of the increase of heavy diesel transport? Are there any cleansing devices fitted to diesel transport now—around ten years later? What emissions are there from LPG gas powered vehicles? Could it be that in the near future citizens affected by a responsible authority’s blatant disregard for air quality/public health issues will sue authorities for declining health or death of their loved ones? Better public transport is needed now More and better public transport is wanted in the Outer East. We need an upgrade of the Ringwood/Lilydale and Belgrave railway lines, with duplication of the line to Belgrave and duplication of the line from Mooroolbark to Lilydale. Government should consider re-opening the Healesville line with the introduction of a light rail service. This would considerably improve quality of life and access for Healesville residents and all residents further down the line. The Outer East needs a new generation of double decker and faster trains. We advocate commercial development of the air-space over large railway stations similar to the Box Hill shopping centre development and also the Perth railway station in Western Australia. Lower public transport fares will encourage an increase in patronage which will in turn lead to greater safety and popularity, and create an atmosphere of community well-being and safety, especially at night. PRAISE encourages the Government to initiate a pro public transport marketing campaign similar to the TAC advertising campaign (with a similar budget). A complementary strategy could be the introduction of a “ONE DOLLAR A RIDE” concept. This would attract new patronage and encourage more people to make public transport their habitual and preferred mode of transport. Two further points 1. Concerning the area within the boundaries of Deep Creek Road, the Mullum Mullum Creek, Sherbrook Avenue and Maroondah Highway: there are approximately 1500 homes in this area, with an average car ownership of 1.5 cars per property. Construction of the Eastern Freeway Extension from Ringwood Interchange to Maroondah Highway would cut the easterly exits from this area and as a result of that also cut three of the southerly exits to Maroondah Highway, leaving only one exit to head for Melbourne on an intersection where Maroondah Highway has traffic-light priority. 2. Regarding the statement on Page 1 of the Options Review bulletin: “The Government has announced that it will undertake a separate detailed traffic study to identify and assess satisfactory ways to connect the Eastern Freeway to the existing road network south of the Ringwood Bypass.” Is it aware of, and has it taken into consideration the Maroondah City Council 5-volume study in 1998 by PPK Environment & Infrastructure Pty Ltd? Volume 4 Maroondah Integrated Road Strategy lists roadworks required to follow construction of the Bypass and freeway extension on pages 51–53, and costs them at $48 million on p. 62.† Conclusion No Freeway. Allocated money to be spent on alleviating
bottlenecks and danger spots
† These roadworks are described in detail on p. 7 of this Submission.
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