The report, titled "Investing in Transport–East West Link Needs Assessment", was commissioned in 2006 by the Government of Victoria following the model of the Eddington Transport Study in the United Kingdom and was released in April 2008.
[3] The government's brief noted that the majority of east–west traffic in the city was carried on just two links, the Monash and Eastern freeways, which were both heavily congested at peak periods.
The corridor and surrounding arterial roads were under heavy pressure from strong suburban expansion and rapid growth in freight transport from the Port of Melbourne.
[4] Eddington's study noted that Melbourne's strong economic and population growth would result in a 30 percent increase in demand for travel, by both public transport and private motor vehicles, by 2033.
[5][6] In January 2011, the newly elected Baillieu coalition government announced the Victorian transport Plan had been shelved while all projects were re-evaluated.