Re: Box Hill tram extension

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>]

I should read the Whitehorse papers more.

I had no idea the plans included widening the road reservation and in
particular had no idea demolitions would be required.

I suspect PTUA would not support the plans in this form. No widening of
Whitehorse Rd should be required - now that the Eastern Freeway is
open, Whitehorse Rd should probably be narrowed. Since it has only four
lanes including the tramlines west of Union St, that should be all that
is needed as far as Elgar Rd. Beyond there, the median strip can
accomodate the tram tracks and no widening of the road can be justified
(two traffic lanes in each direction, with turning lanes as required,
should be quite adequate).

Does anyone know where on the net I can find these plans? Nice of Yarra
to bother consulting us on them.

Vaughan

In article <397ECA7E.298D9740@enternet.com.au>,
  Chris Brownbill <cbrnbill@enternet.com.au> wrote:
> A couple of articles in the "Whitehorse Gazette" throw-away rag over
the past
> couple of weeks give some insight into the status of this project.
>
> Wed 19/7
>
> "Battering Tram"
>
> Several Box Hill business sites, a front yard, a bowling club and
gardens are
> expected to be bulldozed to make way for the proposed tramline
extension from
> Mont Albert.  Even the famed white horse statue in the centre of Box
hill will
> have to make way from the tramline, trotting a few metres towards
Clisby Court
> and a metre or so South.
>
> Yarra Trams' final plans for the major development were revealed last
week.
> Whitehorse Council advisory committee meeting recommended the plans
be supported
> and its decision was expected to be ratified at this monday's full
council
> meeting.  Cr Helen Buckingham said the development should "roll on"
as soon as
> possible.
>
> The extension would be a huge asset for residents, providing improved
public
> transport to the Box hill shopping and commercial area, the
institute, and
> hospital, she said.  But many businesses will have to move their
operations, or
> dramatically revamp them, as road widening will require much of their
land and
> buildings to be demolished.  All the properties on the northern side
of
> Whitehorse Road between Kingsley Cres and Nelson Rd would be severely
affected,
> the council chief executive Phil Warner said.
>
> Land would have to be acquired up to about six metres back along that
section,
> which includes Kingsley Gardens, Box Hill Bowls Club, a private
residence next
> door, Box hill Institute land, Ward Motors used car centre, a KFC
restaurant, BP
> service station, and two tyre firms, Mr Warner said.  And properties
on the
> Southern side of the road, between Elgar Rd and Nelson Rd would have
to give up
> land up to three metres back, he said.
>
> The plans also needed to be approved by Boroondara Council and
Vicroads before
> the State government started making arrangements for the compulsory
acquisition
> of the required land. ......
>
> Wed 26/7
>
> "Fuel stop tram fear"
>
> A Box Hill service station owner is furious that he could be forced
out of
> business due to the widening of Whitehorse Rd for the planned tram
extension.
> George Andrianopolous said his family owned BP service station could
have to
> close its doors and leave up to six people without jobs if the road
widening
> plans went ahead.   .....   "I'm aware of the proposal and am very
angry about
> it"  Mr Andrianopolous said.   .....   There was mixed response to
the plans
> from the other affected businesses in Whitehorse Rd.  Tyre shop owner
mark
> Donellan said he was led to believe the extension would not have an
impact when
> he bought his site 18 months ago.  "From what i understand it wont
affect me.
> But if its going to take frontage, well, that's another matter", he
said.
>
> Ward Motors used car manager David Strapp said that while the
proposal could
> cost the business some land, he was "all for progress".  "Anything
that brings
> more people past the dealership has to be a good thing", he said.
>
> -----
>
> A few points to observe from this - First, the project has not yet
received all
> the official approvals it requires, so it could still yet be
stymied.  Note that
> whilst the article on the 19th said that Council approval was
expected the
> following Monday, there was no mention of such approval in the
following week's
> article.  Second, there is a degree of property owner resistance to
the
> proposal.  It is worth bearing in mind that the very recently
deceased Brisbane
> light Rail proposal foundered on opposition from (amongst others),
the Property
> Council of Australia.  The fundamental objection they had was what
they claimed
> would be the adverse impact on Property owners of BLR.
>
> I hope similar forces are not at work here.
>
> Finally, on a more positive note, its good to see a car dealer
supporting the
> proposal.  Gives you some faith in human nature after all.
>


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