Spit Bridge Widening Options

The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Roads. When considering the widening of the Spit Bridge, did the Minister's department put forward more than one option for the widening of the bridge? In choosing the preferred option, did the Minister and his predecessors choose the option that gave the greatest benefit to road users of the Spit Bridge, or did they and the Minister choose and support an option that his department's research indicated had the least merit and weakest justification for delivering the greatest benefits to users of the Spit Bridge?

The Hon. ERIC ROOZENDAAL: I refer to my previous answers in relation to the Spit Bridge.

The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I ask a supplementary question. The Minister has not given any previous answers. Will he please answer the question?

The Hon. ERIC ROOZENDAAL: On numerous occasions the issue of the Spit Bridge has been canvassed in this place but, for the benefit of the honourable member, the Spit and Military Road have been identified in the Government's urban transport statement for improvements. As I have advised the House previously, a working group comprising the Roads and Traffic Authority, State Transit, the Ministry of Transport and the office of the Coordinator General of Infrastructure has been set up to investigate initiatives to improve traffic flow on the corridor. As the honourable member well knows, the previous project did not stack up in its final analysis, and, of course, this Government always acts for the best benefit of the people of New South Wales. That is why we have this working group looking at that important corridor and at ways to improve that corridor.

I note that the honourable member from the other House tried to run it recently in one of his typical publicity stunts and was beaten by one of the public transport buses by 15 minutes. That is why this Government has made public transport a priority and why we have made public transport bus corridors a major priority on a number of networks, including Victoria Road. We have the Iron Cove Bridge upgrade. We are also looking to improve public transport on Military Road, as well as the improvements we have made to that important Lane Cove corridor. We are committed to improving public transport and getting a better outcome for road users.