Media release:
From the Minister for Roads and Ports

The first AM peak clearway in the City of Moonee Valley will be extended today as part of the Government’s $113 million congestion plan Keeping Melbourne Moving.

The clearway on the east side of Pascoe Vale Road, between Kilburn Street and Buckley Street, will operate from 6.30am to 10am.

Other sites in the City of Moonee Valley which will have the changes to morning clearway times implemented by the end of November include:

• The north side of Buckley Street, from Hoffmans Road to Lincoln Road;
• The east side of Ascot Vale Road, from Maribyrnong Road to Moonee Street;
• The east side of Mount Alexander Road, from Ormond Road to Flemington Road.

The remaining AM clearways within the 10 kilometre radius of the CBD will roll out progressively until the end of the year, with PM peaks to follow at the beginning of 2009.

Roads and Ports Minister, Tim Pallas said the clearway changes would improve the journeys for up to 300,000 tram and bus passengers and up to 250,000 private vehicle users travelling in Melbourne’s inner suburbs each day.

"Jobs and the population are growing faster than predicted and leading to an increase in vehicles on our roads," Mr Pallas said.

"Commuters are experiencing longer travel times to and from work and this plan is about short-term relief, while medium and longer-term solutions like major road upgrades and the purchase of new trains and trams, get underway.

"The Keeping Melbourne Moving plan will standardise more than 160 clearways within 10 kilometres of Melbourne’s CBD from 6.30am to 10am in the AM peak and from 3pm to 7pm in the PM peak. Clearways will also be more strictly enforced."

Mr Pallas said standardised clearways would improve public transport travel times and reliability.

"More than 80 per cent of public transport trip kilometres are on roads and clearways would provide an additional lane for trams and buses," Mr Pallas said.

"The standardisation of clearway times ensures that the entire road network runs smoothly, rather than having pockets where congestion negates the benefits of clearways elsewhere."

A Clearways Implementation Reference Group was established to provide input on issues to be considered in the roll-out of clearway changes. This group includes representatives of small business, transport and local government peak bodies. 

Mr Pallas said the Government recognised the need to balance the interests of small businesses, shoppers and commuters and is working with communities to ensure issues such as parking arrangements and safety are addressed.

For more information visit Keeping Melbourne Moving - Clearway Updates