Push to turn Georges River into a water highway
TRAFFIC congestion could be a distant memory under a proposal to turn the Georges River into a water highway.
Liverpool
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TRAFFIC congestion could be a distant memory under a proposal to turn the Georges River into a water highway.
Liverpool Community Independents Team councillor Karress Rhodes said the Georges River was one of the city’s most under-utilised assets — but it could be the key to busting daily congestion on our road network.
Cr Rhodes is pushing for a hovercraft ferry service along the Georges River, connecting to Botany Bay and Sydney’s southern suburbs.
The council will put forward the idea at the Local Government NSW Annual Conference in October.
It will also call on the LGNSW to advocate on its behalf for state and federal government support for the development of river highways in the southwest.
It follows the release of the NRMA’s Blue Highways Report in May, looking at the potential for fast ferry services to ease the state’s congestion woes, particularly the Parramatta to Sydney corridor.
Cr Rhodes wants the Georges River to also be considered in the report as an alternative transport route for the southwest.
“This is the growth centre of Sydney and our population is going to grow,” she said.
“It’s really essential that we explore new ways of addressing congestion.”
She envisions the service starting at Liverpool railway station and running to Chipping Norton beach, the back of Bankstown Golf Course and through the national parks around Picnic Point.
Restaurants along the way would also benefit from business and boost tourism in the southwest.
Cr Rhodes said locals would benefit from increased access to jobs in western Sydney.
“This is another highway that they’ve already got that doesn’t require infrastructure except for servicing the boats,” she said.
“If it works in Parramatta. there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work with the Georges River.”