Fast Facts

• In June 2014, Transport Minister Dean Nalder announces that Barnett Government is considering allowing passenger vehicles to use express bus lanes and emergency lanes to ease congestion in peak periods
• In July 2015, the transport minister approved congestion busting plans to open freeway emergency lanes permanently to all traffic at an estimated cost of $50m
• In September 2015, the transport minister flips on this announcement and states that the “state governments transport policy is to prioritise the movement of people rather than vehicles”. 

Dean Nalder is fixated on unfunded announcements and front pages.

After seven years in power, it’s clear the Barnett Government don’t have a plan to tackle traffic congestion on our roads and freeways anytime soon. This was confirmed in a recent letter sent from the Transport Minister to Senator Sterle following a query surrounding the possibility of opening up emergency and bus lanes on Perth’s freeways to ease congestion in peak periods.

As recently as July 2015, the Minister for Transport Dean Nalder was touting this short term solution as a viable option. This followed similar announcements by the Minister in 2014. These announcements have been nothing more than a cheap opportunity to get a story on the front page of the paper or a headline on the evening news. None of these announcements have been funded and it has been reported that the cost could be around $50m.

Comments from Senator Glenn Sterle

“In his response to my letter where I suggested that charter buses could use express bus lanes to ease congestion, the Minister, despite his many announcements and acknowledgement of the benefit of opening these lanes, responded by saying that the state government’s transport policy is to prioritise the movement of people rather than vehicles.”

“What does this mean?” Senator Sterle asked.

“This government is renowned for making promises at election time that they cannot keep. They make commitments to improve public transport before polling day and then walk away from them once they have moved into their shiny ministerial offices.”

“Minister Nalder knows that there is an issue, he has admitted and accepted that there is a solution but won’t commit state government funds to solve the congestion crisis that Perth faces. Why?”

“Western Australian’s should be angry that this Transport Minister and state government have no intention of delivering better outcomes for road users and public transport in this state.”

“If the Minister understands that there is a problem, Western Australian’s deserve to know what the timeframe for delivery is and how the government is going to fund a solution.”