Concord, Bushells: Marceau Dr residents fear rat runs amid plans for through road

Residents of a quiet inner west street have raised concerns over mooted plans to turn their street into a potential rat run, prompting safety fears.

Residents of a quiet pocket of Sydney’s inner west have raised concerns with council over plans to turn their street into a through road, prompting safety fears.

The planning proposal for 160 Burwood Rd, Concord – most known as being the site of the contentious Bushells factory redevelopment – include transforming pedestrian and cyclist-heavy Marceau Dr into a through road to better accommodate a surge in people if the site was redeveloped into properties.

Residents of the street have cried foul, raising concerns with council that the family-heavy road will turn into a dangerous rat run, endangering passing cyclists and children.

“People are concerned and worried about safety,” resident Michael Young said.

“The street hasn’t got any footpaths, and if we’re hit with a huge increase in traffic it will become very dangerous.

Residents of Marceau Drive, alongside Councillor Andrew Ferguson (centre-left) and Reid federal MP Sally Sitou (centre-right) converge to voice their disapproval of and fears about the through road plans. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

“It’s a quiet street so it’s manageable, but as soon as it becomes busy with cars it will become a hazard.”

Marceau Dr was closed by the council as a thoroughfare in 1986 due to safety concerns with the adjacent dangerous bend on Crane St.

(L-R) Charlie Tomarchio and Michael Young, who have led the street's efforts to Council. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

“There’s a reason they shut it in 1986, and it’s even more dangerous now, ” Mr Young said.

Residents fear reopening the road to Crane St would see cars evade two sets of traffic lights on Broughton St and Burwood Rd and cut through Marceau Dr.

Homeowners are also prohibited by covenant from erecting front fences – families fear if the drive turns into a rat run, young children could be at risk.

“You have elderly people and families with young or disabled children really concerned about this,” Charlie Tomarchio, who lives on the street, said.

“We’ve got no fences, and I don’t want to sound alarmist, but you could have kids running onto what could become a dangerous road.”

A Google Map screenshot of a possible route through Marceau Dr to Crane St, if it was reopened to traffic. Picture: Google Maps

Mr Young and Mr Tomarchio led the street’s calls to council to reject any proposal to reopen the drive, collecting and submitting over 50 submissions from concerned residents.

“It takes a lot to get the neighbourhood riled up, but this is a big issue,” Mr Young said.

Helen McCaffrey, a resident and former mayor of Canada Bay, said she had one friend on a nearby street who was frightened about trying to reverse onto the road if it was reopened.

Councillor Andrew Ferguson said he had been “inundated by concerns from the community” on the issue and wider fears about traffic safety.

(L-R) Michael Young, Helen McCaffrey and Charlie Tomarchio under the Marceau Drive sign. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

“There has understandably been a major community backlash to the proposal to allow a rat run from the Bushells site through Marceau Dr and local streets,” he said.

“Council needs to do more to oppose overdevelopment of the Bushells site.”

A council spokeswoman said it was aware and listening to the concerns of residents, and that no commitment had been made to reopen the road.

“The suggestion to reopen Marceau Dr has arisen as part of a proposal received by council from a private landowner for 160 Burwood Rd, Concord (the Bushells site), and council is aware of the community’s concerns in relation to this issue,” she said.

“Council has made no commitment to date to reopen Marceau Dr or to progress with any of the suggestions raised in the recent planning proposal it received for 160 Burwood Rd, and we will carefully consider all community feedback prior to any decisions being made and will undertake detailed investigation and community consultation where necessary.”