Camden councillors urge M9 Orbital to go west
UPROAR and angst surrounding the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital proposed corridor continues to build, with Camden community leaders calling for the route to be pushed further west.
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ANNOUNCEMENT: “This will impact on people’s lives”
REACTION: “A bombshell we never wanted”
UPROAR and angst surrounding the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital proposed corridor continues to build, with Camden Liberal councillors calling for the route to be pushed further west.
An eight-lane motorway and freight rail line is proposed to snake through the vicinity of townships surrounding the Camden area, including historic Cobbitty village, with residents labelling the proposed route as “madness”.
Camden Liberal councillors are adamant the proposed corridor needs to be positioned further west, afield of Camden and its surrounding townships.
“I don’t think the current route is the right one and it needs to be moved much further west,” Councillor Michael Morrison said.
It was supported by Councillor Peter Sidgreaves, who said “it travels far too close to Camden, it should be further west”.
Camden Liberal mayor Lara Symkowiak said it was important for the community to remember the current route was a proposal.
“I think viable alternative routes will be considered by the state government if there are good reasons put forward by residents and council,” she said.
“We do have to be very careful we don’t move the impact from one group of residents to another.”
A Transport for NSW spokesman said the draft corridor was selected after an analysis of route options.
“This option was chosen for consultation because it impacts on less properties, is more closely aligned with the South West Growth Area and would have less impact on the historic village of Cobbitty as any future interchange with Cobbitty road would have less impact,” he said.
“By protecting this corridor now, in decades to come Transport for NSW will be able to deliver the roads and rail required to keep western Sydney moving as it grows.
“Protecting future transport corridors on this scale is an important community issue and active community engagement in this process is not just welcomed but required.”
Camden Labor councillor Paul Farrow condemned the inadequate community consultation at last night’s Camden Council meeting, calling on council to advocate for an extension to the exhibition period, which ends on June 1.
“Our community have nine weeks to defend their homes, their castles, their livelihoods,” he said.
“We, at the moment, are throwing crumbs to a community starving for information.”
“What really concerns me is either we have a completely out of touch state government that has no regard for the community of Camden or this is completely set up knowing there are viable alternatives.
“The most hurtful, the most aggressive option, has been chosen to cause the most chaos so someone can swing through on their white horse and save the day.”
The majority of councillors supported Camden Mayor Lara Symkowiak’s motion in her Mayoral Minute, waiving Camden Civic Centre hire fees for the April 21 community forum organised by the M9 Outer Sydney Orbital Macarthur Action Group.