WITH Roe 8 back on the agenda as a possible toll road, Melville city council has posted a survey asking ratepayers whether they have ever been stuck in traffic on two of Perth’s busiest highways.

One of the 10 questions asks whether people support the extension, “to alleviate congestion”, while another, referring to the level of impact from traffic, defines “largely negative impact” as “journeys take longer/I am very frustrated by traffic”. Another asks whether they had ever experienced congestion on major roads such as Stock and Leach and Canning highways, and when.

The council strongly supports the extension, believing its construction will alleviate traffic on Leach and Canning Highways.

“It’s not a new idea, but we’d love to hear what you have to say on the Roe Highway extension,” it states, adding the proposed extension through wetlands including Bibra Lake, “provides a better solution to help reduce the increasing congestion, as well as provides a more appropriate route for heavy haulage, which is increasingly being seen in this area”.

If built Roe 8 will flatten more than 230 hectares of land, home to endangered species including the Carnaby’s black and Red-tailed black cockatoos.

The Liberals have long supported Roe 8 but struggled to find the cash. Now there is speculation the Abbott government may allocate in Tuesday’s federal Budget the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to construct the 5.5km extension, on the proviso it be built as WA’s first ever toll road.

The survey has been attacked by the Save Beeliar Wetlands group, who claim it is blatantly biased, with questions designed to suck people into looking like they support Roe 8.

“It’s disgracefully biased—so give ‘em a blast! I did,” says Jo-Ann Whalley.

by CARMELO AMALFI