Airport roundabout task force to recommend measures to relieve congestion

Claims that a task force set up to consider ways to relieve serious traffic congestion at the airport roundabout is dithering are untrue, Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said today.

Mr Pitt said the task force had been announced less than three weeks ago, on 17 October.

He said he appreciated the seriousness of the congestion problem, with the roundabout struggling to handle traffic volumes in excess of 50 000 vehicles a day.

“This has been a problem roundabout for some time, both in terms of delays and also accidents,” Mr Pitt said.

“The installation of traffic lights in late August has been successful in addressing the serious road safety issue of cars queuing back up on to the Gateway Motorway, and improving the traffic flow for vehicles travelling to the airport.

“However, the lights have resulted in longer delays for traffic leaving the airport. Responding to this situation, the government last month set up a task force to see what could be done, and done quickly.

“For the task force to come under attack and be accused of doing nothing, as we have seen today, is neither fair nor reasonable. It has only just been set up.

“The task force already has held two meetings to canvass the issues associated with the traffic congestion and to look at short-term measures to alleviate the problem.

“Today’s newspaper claims that ‘airport congestion builds as special panel dithers’ and that the task force is ‘going around in circles’ are both false.

“Likewise, the newspaper claim that the task force ‘has so far failed to formulate a single recommendation’ is wrong, as the task force was not meant to produce recommendations within a fortnight of being set up.

“The task force will bring forward a report mid next month on what it believes can be done to improve the situation, even if only in a limited way.

“If there is anything to emerge from the task force in the meantime about the options being considered, then the public will be the first to know.”

Mr Pitt said the longer-term solution to the roundabout would come in 2009 when the new Gateway Motorway deviation and airport connection were opened.

This was expected to relieve traffic congestion at the roundabout by as much as 40 per cent. Further major roadworks associated with the planned East West Arterial-Gateway connection would also ensure the efficient operation of the roundabout in the years ahead.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819