Urgent call to reopen Green Square pedestrian tunnel amid safety concerns
City of Sydney Deputy Mayor Linda Scott and state member Ron Hoenig are joining forces to call on the Transport Minister to prioritise the reopening of the Green Square Station pedestrian tunnel.
Pedestrians and cyclists at Green Square Station have been put at risk for long enough, City of Sydney Deputy Mayor Linda Scott said.
As a result, state member Ron Hoenig and Cr Scott have united to call on the Transport Minister to urgently prioritise the reopening of the Green Square Station pedestrian tunnel.
Mr Hoenig and Cr Scott said they hold serious concerns for pedestrian safety after the pedestrian tunnel was closed by Transport for NSW in November 2018 due to a development going up at 301 Botany Rd.
A condition of approval for the ‘Infinity by Crown’ development was the upgrade to lifts and stairs at the Green Square Station.
The pedestrian tunnel allowed pedestrians to safely cross underneath Botany Rd to access the station.
But as a result of the closure, Sydneysiders are forced to queue on a narrow footpath and wait for the lights to change at the intersection off the corner of Bourke St, Botany Rd and O’Riorden St.
They are calling on the Minister for Transport, Andrew Constance to hurry up the upgrade if the lifts and stairs, and reopen the tunnel as soon as possible.
“This tunnel needs to be finished and opened to the public quick smart,’ Mr Hoenig said.
“The Minister really needs to act.
“We know the risks that pedestrians face as long as this tunnel is closed.”
Mr Hoenig said last year, a young mother was tragically killed and five pedestrians injured after a truck veered off the road and into the footpath.
“We learned last year just how tragic the results can be,” he said.
Cr Linda Scott said pedestrians and cyclists have been put at risk for long enough.
“It’s time for the NSW Transport Minister to take immediate action to resolve this matter and re-open the pedestrian tunnel at Green Square for the public good.”
A total of 21,000 passengers access Green Square station by foot every weekday and more than 61,000 people will call Green Square home in the next decade.
A Transport NSW spokeswoman said the private developer is required to comply with relevant standards to ensure the safety of the community.
“Transport for NSW did not close the pedestrian tunnel at Green Square,” she said.
“The tunnel was closed in November 2018 due to construction for the Infinity by Crown Development that will last for around four months.
“Transport for NSW helped the City of Sydney and the developer implement a range of safety initiatives to protect pedestrian safety including turning on pedestrian traffic signals at Botany Rd and Geddes Ave, installing barriers to prevent people crossing at unsafe locations, temporarily relocating a bus stop to give people a safe location to queue and installing way finding signage to direct people around the changes.”
The spokeswoman said Green Square is an important hub and “Transport for NSW is investigating a range of options to improve connectivity and public transport options to and from the precinct.”
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