$17bn for 30 Seconds - Most Expensive Traffic Jam in Australia’s History

With a $17bn price tag, the Government can’t afford to get this one wrong. The WestConnex EIS released yesterday  by the NSW Government shows that the $17bn WestConnex is the most expensive traffic jam in Australia’s History.

Contained on page viii of the ‘New M5’ Environmental Impact Statement’s Executive summary is the traffic modelling which the Government is relying on the validate the entire WestConnex Project.

Yet this traffic modelling, by AECOM, an engineering firm who recently had to pay $280 million to settle a lawsuit for a similar project (see) shows traffic can be expected to improve in the St Peters area by as much as 30 seconds to one minute during peak hours.

The situation doesn’t improve for commuters relying on bus travel, with a number of services expected to see a 20% or more increase in travel times.

Roads in the St Peters/Alexandria community are already in a perpetual state of traffic gridlock.

This is the most expensive traffic jam in the country’s history.The Government is wasting $17bn on turning our local roads into glorified parking lots.

Spending $17bn of taxpayer money to improve commute times by 30 seconds isn’t just irresponsible it’s idiotic.The fact that bus services will experience delays of 20% or more is just beyond belief. At least the Government is consistent about they handle major infrastructure projects.

This is what happens when a Government outsources its responsibilities to investment bankers. This document highlights the true incompetence of the Liberal Government

WestConnex - the most expensive traffic jam in Australia's history

The NSW Government has treated us all with total disrespect and contempt by arrogantly waiting until Parliament rose for the year before releasing the seriously flawed, 319 page, Business Case for the WestConnex project.

The document reveals that total costs for the project have, to date, blown out by an unbelievable $7 billion in taxpayer money. It also shows that the Government is still not in possession of a complete map, final designs or complete traffic modelling.

The cost benefit ratio as contained in the document estimates $1.88 generated for every dollar spent, but with the rate of cost increases, it’s doubtful that the Government will ever see a return on its investment. This is not how to run a State or properly use taxpayers' money. 

This is the most expensive traffic jam in the country’s history and the Government can’t even produce a complete map or a final design for the project.

The project was initially priced at $10 billion and has now blown out to over $17 billion, almost $7 billion more in projected costs.

At this rate, the Government will be lucky to deliver the project for under $30 billion.

Think of all the worthwhile projects -- schools, hospitals, police, teachers -- we could have for this money.

At least the Government is consistent about how regularly they screw up major infrastructure projects.

This document highlights the true incompetence of a Liberal Government that can’t deliver a project on time, or on budget.

It’s like the CBD South-East Light Rail Line, which has blown out to a price tag of over $2 billion without ever laying a single inch of track.

These surfers and merchant bankers on the Government benches are content to dig up our communities for a project that their own document says won’t work. They’re like used car salesmen, trying to sell Sydney a dud or a worthless bomb.

Ron Hoenig's Heffron Gazette - November 2015

Residents should have received their copy of the November 2015 edition of my newsletter called the "Ron Hoenig Heffron Gazette". It is available for download here: