Moved by Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by
Councillor Chan –
It is resolved that:
(A) Council note:
(i)
WestConnex
is Australia’s most expensive toll road project, estimated to cost more than
$20 billion;
(ii)
local
community groups, the Greens and the City of Sydney were strongly opposed to
WestConnex on grounds including, but not limited to, the cost, the
environmental impact, the health impact from pollution, the prioritisation of
car travel over public and active transport, and the risk that the project
would lead to increased road congestion at key points;
(iii)
the
final piece of the privatised road project was the opening of the WestConnex
Rozelle Interchange in November 2023;
(iv)
following
the opening of the Rozelle Interchange there has been significantly increased
congestion for travellers into the Sydney CBD, particularly those travelling
from the Balmain peninsula;
(v)
the
impacts of the Rozelle interchange extend far beyond its physical boundaries by
inducing traffic into local streets in surrounding neighbourhoods, such as
Pyrmont Bridge Road and Bridge Road in Glebe;
(vi)
several
immediate, small changes were made by the NSW Government in response to calls
by the community and local MP for Balmain Kobi Shetty, including added lane
space on City West Link and a commitment to return the right-hand turn from
Johnston Street onto The Crescent at Glebe. However, the core issues and
congestion remain, and further action is urgently needed;
(vii)
the
Greens NSW secured a Legislative Council Inquiry into the WestConnex Rozelle
Interchange;
(viii)
the
Legislative Council Inquiry into WestConnex Rozelle Interchange:
(a) extended the deadline for submissions and responses to the online questionnaire until Tuesday, 2 April 2024;
(b) will be hosting a public forum at NSW Parliament on Wednesday, 10 April 2024. Members of the public can register to speak through the NSW Parliament website; and
(c) will be holding public hearings on 10, 23 and 24 April 2024. City staff anticipate the City will be invited to a hearing. There are seven submissions to date;
(ix)
the
City of Sydney made a detailed submission to the NSW Legislative Council
WestConnex Rozelle Interchange Inquiry. The City of Sydney’s submission
proposes potential solutions including:
(a) the NSW Government funding and delivering
the City’s Broadway Green Avenue proposal, including footpath widening, a
cycleway, zero emissions buses and light rail along Broadway and Parramatta
Road;
(b) the NSW Government to fund walking and
cycling improvements along Victoria Road and restoring the Glebe Island Bridge;
and
(c) other non-road-first plans to alleviate
congestion;
(B)
in May 2023, the Lord Mayor wrote to the Minister for Roads and the
Minister for Transport about funding and implementing the City’s proposal for
the Broadway Green Avenue envisaged by Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050 Continuing
the Vision. In May 2024, the Lord Mayor will raise the matter again in a
meeting with the Minister for Transport;
(C)
Council note that in addition for calling for public and active
transport solutions, a petition has been launched by the Greens MP for Balmain
Kobi Shetty which calls on the Minister for Roads to take urgent action to help
address traffic safety and congestion including:
(i)
resolving local pinch points limiting access
to Victoria Road from the Balmain peninsula and Rozelle;
(ii)
improving traffic flow from Victoria Road
onto the Anzac Bridge; and
(iii) improving
traffic flows along City West Link;
(D) Council note
that the petition has close to 3,000 signatures at the time of publication of
this notice; and
(E) Council agree
to endorse the petition calling for urgent action to address traffic congestion
issues relating to the Rozelle Interchange.
Carried unanimously.
X086659