I HAVE been quite bemused by advertising boards sponsored by the City of Casey proclaiming the benefits of the East-West link for travellers on the Monash freeway/parking lot. It seems that the City of Casey is acting as a free advertising arm of the State Government.
I regularly travel from Clyde Road, by the Monash and then Eastlink/Eastern Freeway to my office in Parkville. The most frustrating part of my journey is from Clyde Road to Studd Road.
Yes the city end of Eastlink/Eastern Freeway is frustrating, but not as much as Clyde Road to Studd Road. On Eastlink getting close to the city I have many options – I can exit at Chandler Highway or take numerous other options to Parkville. If I leave early enough, the end of Eastlink is a breeze.
But the Monash between Clyde Road and Stud Road is stop-start from very early morning to well after 0900.
Now the link between East West Link and easier travel on the Monash in Casey is tenuous at best. I am all for the East West Link, but I would prefer the City of Casey to concentrate on things that would really help residents of Casey.
How about promoting the widening of the Monash between Cardinia and Stud Road for example? Or giving huge support to improving and upgrading rail services on the City to Pakenham line?
Eighteen months ago I lived in Doncaster. Getting to Parkville on the Eastern Freeway was simple, compared to negotiating the Monash locally.
I would prefer the City of Casey to get on board politicising local needs, not the needs of the well-to-do north east suburbs and the incumbent government. Councillors, how about a little more political neutrality?
John Farquharson,
Berwick.