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Motorists Hope Waiting Game For M4 East Will Be Over


Motorists Hope Waiting Game For M4 East Will Be Over

Author: NRMADate: 02 June 2008

NRMA Motoring & Services is calling on the State Government to match the Federal Government’s promise of $300 million in funding towards the M4 Extension and to commence improvements immediately.

NRMA Director Gary Punch welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment last month, however questioned the timing of funds, to be released ‘some time after the 2008/09 financial year’.

"Sydney motorists are sick of waiting for the M4 Extension to accommodate freight movement into Port Botany and reduce travel time from the west," Mr Punch said.

According to a new survey of more than 700 motorists conducted by NRMA Motoring & Services, almost 90 per cent of motorists believe the M4 Extension has been missing from the Sydney road network for too long.

The survey found an overwhelming majority of motorists (95%) considered the M4 Extension to be an important issue. Two-thirds ranked the new motorway as being very important to Sydney’s infrastructure future.

Mr Punch said Sydney could not afford to wait any longer to build the link road from Concord to the airport and Sydney CBD.

"There is strong support in the community for the M4 Extension and motorists deserve to know when work will begin," Mr Punch said.

"The NRMA survey revealed almost nine out of 10 motorists (89%) believe completing the M4 Extension would reduce congestion and travel times."

"More than 70 per cent believed the completed road would take trucks off Sydney’s existing road network.

"The longer we have to wait before Sydney gets the 21st century road network it desperately needs, the worse congestion in the city will get."

The NRMA survey also revealed a huge concern among motorists that things will get worse once the expansion of Port Botany is complete, with almost 70 per cent of motorists believing the new Port will increase the number of trucks on our roads.

"This concern can be alleviated by State Budget funding for a study to investigate the widening of the M5 motorway, a vital arterial link to the M4 and pathway for heavy vehicles to Port Botany," Mr Punch said.

"The NRMA is calling for an M5 study to commence immediately."

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