Light rail route shop owners and residents tell of impact on mental well-being
RESIDENTS and business owners around the CBD light rail construction zone have shared their harrowing experiences, some admitting they’re so depressed they’re considering checking into a psychiatric facility.
NSW
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RESIDENTS and business owners around the CBD light rail construction zone have shared their harrowing experiences some admitting they’re so depressed they’re considering checking into a psychiatric facility.
Others were on the verge of tears as they fronted an ongoing NSW parliamentary inquiry into the delayed project, saying they feel “demoralised” and “disrespected” by Transport for NSW and Acciona, the Spanish contractor building the line from the CBD to the city’s south-east.
Former owner of the Book Kitchen Amelia Birch told the Public Accountability Committee that ex-light rail project director Jeff Goodling told 100 business owners they should “go to Bali for six months during construction”.
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“I think all of our jaws dropped at that point firstly due to the severe oversight of what a stupid comment like that means to a group of business owners,” she said.
“Incredibly that he assumed the project would take six months – there’s so many layers of irony there.”
Mr Goodling left Transport for NSW in June 2015, prior to the start of construction of the CBD and South East Light Rail project.
Ms Birch said she had separated from her husband since construction began after he started to suffer depression. Their business turnover was previously “in excess of $1 million”.
“It takes a toll not just financially, not just physically but emotionally… there’s no words,” she said.
“I’ve curled up in the foetal position many times… I wouldn’t wish this upon anybody because it’s demoralising.”
Emanuel Tzirtzilakis, from Ouroboros Wholefoods Café, said Mr Goodling suggested business owners approach the bank “as a group” to arrange a better rate of finance for the “difficult time you’re going to face”.
“These people are telling me, ‘You’re going to suffer… but get together as a group and organise a cheaper rate of finance to put you through the difficult times’,” he said.
“That’s pretty disturbing.”
He also called John Brady from the CBD Coordination Office for Transport NSW a “standover man” that would “always put us down when we had big concerns”.
Mr Tzirtzilakis said the experience had left him “borderline checking into a psychiatric facility”, adding “I’m on every medication there is”.
Greg Tannos from Optical Illusions said he was shocked by how much the construction had affected his mental wellbeing.
“I had a twitch that I get sometimes … sitting in the car, it just sings in your head,” he said.
City of Sydney councillor Angela Vithoulkas, also the former owner of Vivo Café, said she was constantly knocked back by Transport for NSW representatives when she asked for compensation.
“I was told that, ‘Yes we expect some of these businesses to close… don’t worry, others will open’,” she told the committee.
“We can’t fight a natural disaster called Transport for NSW who has written us off and put us in a garbage heap – that is the respect that this business community has found in Sydney.”
The light rail project was due to be completed in 2019. However, the main contractor ALTRAC told the NSW government in April the new completion date was March 2020.
The project was originally budgeted to cost $1.6 billion before a $500 million blowout.
More than 60 business owners have also joined a class action seeking around $40 million in compensation over disruption caused by the light rail.
The Daily Telegraph has contacted Transport for NSW for comment.