PEOPLE POWER WINS OUT OVER FRANKLIN DUAL CARRIAGEWAY

The Tasmanian Greens today said that Labor’s decision not to go ahead with the Franklin dual carriageway was a victory for people power and the common-sense campaign by local Franklin area residents against it.

Greens Member for Franklin Nick McKim MP said that the scheme had been a white elephant in the making and would never have got as far as it did if residents had been properly consulted first.

“I would like to congratulate residents living in and around the Franklin area for their dedication and the perseverance that they have shown with the campaign, which has ultimately been successful,” said Mr McKim.

“The reported $400,000 cost could easily have been avoided if residents in the Franklin area had been consulted first.”

“Instead of asking residents what they wanted, a proposal was cooked up by a small group of people, who thought they knew best and who then sought to impose it on locals.”

“People living in and around the Franklin area have shown they are not pushovers and, since the scheme was floated last year, have been vocal in pointing out its serial flaws.”

“This was a highly questionable project from the start, costing $10-million to construct a 750 metre dual carriageway in a low-traffic and spectacularly beautiful area of the State.”

“One of the consistent themes of the campaign by residents is that there are many small-scale, ‘micro-upgrades’ of the local road infrastructure, which could be made for a fraction of the cost of this project, but with much greater potential benefits in terms of improving road safety and the quality of life of road users and residents alike.”

“What the department should now do in my view is head down to the Franklin area and speak to local people about the road upgrades that could cost less, improve safety and that could attract more support on that basis,” said Mr McKim.
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader Tuesday 26 June 2012