I recently joined Daniel Andrews and neighbouring MP’s Anthony Carbines, Vicki Ward and Danielle Green to announce that the Andrews Labor Government will build the missing link in our road network – the North East Link. The North East Link will finally join-up our freeway network, connecting our growing suburbs in the north, east, and south-east, and providing a direct route from the east to the airport.

It will carry 100,000 cars a day, relieving congested freeways, slashing traffic in the north and east, and taking thousands of trucks off local roads. This will mean less time in traffic, and more time with friends and family in the north, south, and east, while the Western Distributor busts congestion in the west. Planning will get underway immediately, with $35 million to kick-start work spearheaded by a new expert North East Link Authority.

The business case, including determining the right route for the road, will be developed by 2018, and the planning and procurement processes will begin that year.

This government also understands the need to invest in both roads and public transport, which is why we’re also investing historic amounts into our public transport system including:

• 20 Level Crossing to be removed by 2018 and 50 by 2022.
• Metro Tunnel
• Mernda Rail extension
• Ordered new rolling stock (65 high capacity metro trains, 19 X’Trapolis and 20 trams).
• $1.3 billion spent on regional public transport
• $100 million into better buses including fixing the missing bus links in our growth areas and improving connections to universities and schools.