West Gate 事倍功半， 隧道弊大于利

上週政府公布的一项官方调查显示，儘管耗资甚钜，但Andrews 政府的新 West Gate 隧道仅能分摊 3% West Gate 大桥的车流量。

原本即将免费的 CityLink 路段将持续收费，而行经 CityLink 路段的驾驶在未来许多年内都将为耗资甚钜的建案支付费用。

祸不单行的是，所有使用 West Gate 高速的卡车，无论是否使用新隧道，都将被收取通行费。 这无疑意味着运输成本上升，未来难免直接反应在物价上。

对比事倍功半的 West Gate 项目，事半功倍的 East West Link 更能有效也更全面疏散车流。 Andrews 政府着实不该浪费 12 亿澳币，以劣币替换良币，让 West Gate 隧道取代East West Link。

英文版/English version

West Gate Tunnel brings more tolls but few benefits

An official study released last week has revealed that the Andrews government’s new West Gate Tunnel will only take 3 per cent of trucks off the Westgate Bridge.

However, all motorists who use the existing CityLink will be charged tolls for many more years to pay part of the cost.

As well, all trucks using the Westgate freeway will be required to pay tolls, whether or not they use the new tunnel, making goods carried by truck more expensive.

The East West Link would have provided a much better link than this project.  Premier Andrews should not have thrown away $1.2 billion to not build it.