The Labor Member for Fraser, John Langmore, denounced yesterday a plan to construct a tollway on the Lake George section saying it would divert private-sector funds from other projects.
However, the NSW National Party Member for Monaro, Peter Cochran, said tollways were the best way to get infrastructure improvements the Government could not do.
Mr Langmore the said it was a mistake to divert private investment to traditionally public-funded infrastructure investment, especially at a time when private sector investment was low.
He called for the road to be publicly funded. He said he would seek a meeting with the Minister for Transport, Laurie Brereton, about the road.
The Minister for Urban Services in the ACT Labor Government, David Lamont, was also opposed to a tollway, saying it discriminated against Canberrans. He, too, would seek a meeting with Mr Brereton.
Mr Langmore said public investment was low at 4.6 per cent of GDP, whereas it was between 8 and 9 per cent of GDP in the 1950s and 60s.
Increasing public investment would have a flow-on multiplier effect in the private sector as many private contractors would do the work. It would create extra jobs.
“”A tollway around Lake George will also raise the price of any goods traansported to Canberra by road,” he said.
The national road system should remain free.
The money for the road _ a capital project _ would be paid for by borrowings and the public sector paid a lower interest rate so it made more sense to do it that way. The costs of collecting the toll also made it inefficient.
Mr Cochran, on the other hand, said tolls were the way to go, provided there was a suitable alternative for those who did not want to pay.
He had proposed a tollway to the coast in 1988, but it had been denounced by the Federal Labor Member for Eden-Monaro, Jim Snow.
He said tollways elsewhere had been successful, especially in Canada involving similar population bases.
“”Given the choice between a 75-minute trip to Moruya on exressway conditions and the current Kings HIghway, my bet would be that the majority of motorists would gladly pay the toll,” he said.
Mr Langmore acknowledged the coast road deserved an upgrade, but it was of lower priority to the Federal Highway.