10 March Mr Michel Masson Chief Executive Officer Infrastructure Victoria Melbourne VIC Dear Mr Masson,

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1 Brian Negus General Manager, Public Policy 550 Princes Highway Noble Park North Victoria 3174 Australia Telephone Facsimile March 2016 Mr Michel Masson Chief Executive Officer Infrastructure Victoria Melbourne VIC 3001 Dear Mr Masson, Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission about Laying the Foundations; Setting objectives and identifying needs for Victoria s 30-year infrastructure strategy. RACV compliments Infrastructure Victoria on launching this comprehensive approach to determine the key issues and infrastructure needs of Victorians. Using our extensive market and technical research, we have developed a forward strategy for transport needs in Victoria, and identified the key policy issues that need to be considered. We have long proposed on behalf of our more than two million members, that an integrated transport system, improved safety and a fairer deal for transport users are what the community wants and indeed expects to be delivered. Please refer to RACV Directions 2015 which details these matters. In reviewing the 'Laying the Foundations' document, we consider that the objective and draft needs broadly cover the main issues. However, greater emphasis should be given to providing transport options for access to employment centres, whether in central Melbourne, metropolitan activity centres or regional cities. While the quantum of jobs within inner- Melbourne is significant, the intensification of activity in metropolitan activity centres and regional cities will need to be supported with better road and public transport access. This will be increasingly important to cater for population growth, by providing employment and services closer to where people live. There should also be an objective explicitly for maintaining and managing existing Specific needs include adequately funding the routine maintenance and rehabilitation of the existing State highway network, and getting the most capacity out of existing Examples of a dire need to better maintain the network include the failing state maintained roads in South Gippsland and South-West Victoria. Examples of getting the most capacity out of existing infrastructure are removing parking (extending clearways) on key urban arterial roads, and managing freeway access and traffic flow using motorway technology. At a more holistic level, the reform of motoring taxation by the replacement of the existing inefficient and unsustainable system with a fairer and more equitable system that also delivers increased funding for transport infrastructure should also be considered. The State can assist by investigating options for Victoria in consultation with the Federal Government. The attached submission provides more specific comments, and attached are relevant submissions and reports, based upon RACV s market research into the transport issues that matter to Victorians.

2 Should you wish to discuss this matter further please feel free to contact me on (03) Yours sincerely BRIAN NEGUS GENERAL MANAGER, PUBLIC POLICY Att: RACV Submission to Infrastructure Victoria RACV Directions 2015, What s important to our 2.1 million members Regional Victoria Growing Pains, Keeping pace with transport needs in Regional Victoria 2012 Growing Pains, Keeping pace with transport needs in outer Melbourne and Geelong RACV submission to Plan Melbourne RACV submission to Infrastructure Australia IPA and RACV: Road Pricing and Transport Infrastructure Funding: Reform Pathways for Australia Discussion Paper ( FIA Foundation, Breaking the deadlock; A social impact investment lens on reducing costs of road trauma and unlocking capital for road safety ( Page 2 of 5

3 RACV submission to Infrastructure Victoria Draft objective 1 Respond to population growth and change RACV comment on objective The objective and needs suggest a focus on high-growth communities. However, there is a substantial backlog within existing areas, some of which may have little population change, and others have significant increases forecast. There will be employment growth in metropolitan and regional activity centres, and infrastructure and services need to respond to these changes in demand. Recommend the objective be Respond to travel demands. Draft need 1A Address infrastructure deficits in highgrowth areas There is a substantial backlog of infrastructure within existing areas, as well as that emerging in high-growth areas. RACV quantified this backlog in outer Metropolitan Melbourne, Geelong and Victoria s ten largest regional cities in its Growing Pains series of reports. Recommend adding a fourth need to Address infrastructure deficits in existing and new communities. 2C Strengthen access to cultural Better, multi-modal, access is needed to a range of non-employment infrastructure and services. For example, the late morning peak period on Melbourne s roads on a Saturday consists of people travelling to employment, retail and recreational facilities. The role of improved management and better infrastructure and services needs to be considered within the context of a broad range of activities that generate travel demand, not just cultural 2D Maximise positive impacts on amenity and wellbeing from The title and its explanation are about negative impacts, such as truck noise, pollution, etc. This need could be broadened to be an objective about improved urban amenity from modified or new The cheapest option may be functional and meet the need; however Victorians may be prepared to pay more for any particular project to achieve a design that has reduced impact and/or improved amenity outcomes. Page 3 of 5

4 Draft need 4B Provide better links to non-central city employment centres A significant proportion of Melbourne s workforce and employment opportunities are dispersed across middle and outer-melbourne. This is particularly challenging to address with mass public transport. Infrastructure for buses, bicycles and pedestrians will need to complement that provided for private vehicle travel. New objective RACV comment on objective 11 Optimise the use of existing assets It is important that the best use of past investments in transport infrastructure is obtained, particularly within established suburbs. Good examples are clearways, removing parking for bus lanes and bicycle facilities, and managed motorway technology. It is also important that funding is provided to maintain and rehabilitate the state s existing transport assets, including the aging rural arterial highway network and the State s railway 5C New need Provide infrastructure-use data in real-time The productivity of infrastructure may be increased by providing Victorian s with better information. Victoria s IT industry is well positioned to take real-time data about network demand to provide information to Victorians. Examples might be multi-modal travel apps, or real-time information for buses. 10C Make infrastructure resilient to disruptive technology. Another need is to address rapid technological change. Infrastructure and associated systems need to allow for updating and modification during their design life. Low emission vehicles, and vehicles with functioning auto-drive (hands-free driving), are already on Victoria s roads. Autonomous and connected vehicles are being trialled. Page 4 of 5

5 2E New need Improve the safety of Victorians when using infrastructure Road and public transport safety is absent from the objectives and needs. In the case of roads, RACV has star-rated the safety of the major road network, and estimated the investment required to improve it to the international benchmark of a 3-star network. Nearly a quarter of the network is at the 1-star level. The cost and road trauma is significant. Star rating is explained in RACV s 2014 Regional Victoria Growing Pains report, and one means of funding road safety infrastructure in the FIA Foundation s Breaking the deadlock; A social impact investment lens on reducing costs of road trauma and unlocking capital for road safety. 11A Improve the condition of the rural highway and rail networks The condition of Victoria s rural highways, particularly in the south-west and south-east of Victoria, is very poor. Roads formerly safe for travel at 100km/h have had their speed limits lowered to 80km/h, and in some cases 60km/h. This increases wear and tear on vehicles, increases travel times and affects the quality of goods transported on rough roads. 11B Manage the arterial road network for efficiency Better use of existing assets can be obtained through management strategies, such as clearways and freeway management systems, and traveller information systems. 11C Investigate road pricing reform State support for taxation reform could remove the existing inefficient transport taxation system and replace it with a fairer system, with revenue used to further improve the transport system. See IPA and RACV: Road Pricing and Transport Infrastructure Funding: Reform Pathways for Australia Discussion Paper. Page 5 of 5