Last year, researchers found that a peak-time commute along the length of EastLink was about 20 minutes faster than travelling on Springvale Road and about 30 minutes quicker than Stud Road.

The report by Box Hill North firm Integrated Management Information Systems stated that commuters saved between 14 cents and 42 cents in petrol compared with Springvale Road, and between $1.68 and $2.21 compared with Stud Road. The petrol savings are much less than the cost of the $4.96 toll.

However, the time savings have been invaluable, says Peter Daly, the RACV's chief engineer of traffic and transport. "Without Eastlink it would be impossible to serve the needs of the population. A large part of the eastern suburbs would have ground to a halt in the next few years."

He concedes that bottlenecks at the tollway's Frankston Freeway and Hoddle Street exits have worsened. This year, the State Government announced plans for Peninsula Link to bypass the Frankston bottleneck.

But the bottlenecks had been always going to happen and are in need of urgent action, regardless of EastLink, Mr Daly says.

ConnectEast acting chief executive Peter Bentley played down concerns about the transport plan, which he described as a very good, integrated plan that didn't push one mode of transport ahead of any other.

"What they are doing for Peninsula Link and the extension of railways is excellent. The East-West link will happen eventually, and there's $5million there to look at the Hoddle Street intersection."