The City of Canning does not have a stance on the Roe Highway extension despite the project’s potential to reduce traffic congestion for tens of thousands of Canning residents who use Leach Highway.
Last week Member for Riverton and Treasurer Mike Nahan called on the city along with several other southern councils to get behind the controversial state government project to address congestion.
He asked the city and mayor Paul Ng to publicly support the project when the city receives a report about traffic in the southeast corridor in April.
City of Canning chief executive Lyn Russell said because the project sat outside the city’s boundaries they had not made any decisions on it.
She said the city was preparing a report for the council for the April ordinary council meeting discussing traffic within the southeast corridor but did not say whether they would be debating Roe 8.
She said they were also advocating a southeast integrated transport strategy.
Dr Nahan said planning issues often did not have defined boundaries.
“Although it is in another local government jurisdiction, Roe 8 is vital in reducing congestion on both arterial and local roads within the City of Canning, most importantly Leach Highway which cuts through the middle,” he said.
“Roe 8 will have major economic, social and environmental benefits for the City of Canning community and I believe strongly that council should publically support it.
“Though local governments have defined boundaries, often planning issues do not.
“It is therefore vital that there is collaboration or it is very difficult to ensure effective planning policies with transport and housing two notable policy areas.”
The City of Melville supports Roe 8 and mayor Russell Aubrey said construction of Roe Highway had been sidelined by the political interference of a vocal minority.
“It is time for the silent majority who suffer the impact of a sub-optimised road network on a daily basis to have their concerns heard and a genuine interest taken by their local councils to resolve this very serious and very real community problem,” he said.
City of Cockburn mayor Logan Howlett said the City of Canning needed to make its own decision.
“The City of Cockburn is not dictating to any other council what they should do,” he said.
Mr Howlett said Roe 8 was not the solution given its adverse impacts on the environment plus the noise and air pollution from freight trucks moving through established communities.
