Council backs northern beaches tunnel but still has worries about exhaust emissions and traffic
Northern Beaches council has officially endorsed the Beaches Link road tunnel but tells the NSW Government it is still worried about exhaust emisisons stacks and loss of open space.
The council has officially endorsed the Beaches Link road tunnel in a draft submission it has prepared for the State Government.
But it will tell road builders that the council and residents have major concerns about exhaust stack emissions, the impact of construction traffic on local roads and the disappearance of public open space.
The submission to Roads and Maritime Services on its Beaches Link Tunnel Reference Design, released in July, also called on officials to include “enhanced public transport” in the $8 billion tunnel and to look at upgrading local roads leading to the tunnel.
It also urged RMS to relocate or “submerge” the Link Rd cutting through the Balgowlah golf course.
Council suggested that planners direct most of the exhaust emissions to the stack proposed for Seaforth “to minimise the impact on air quality in the Balgowlah area”.
The draft submission, prepared by the council’s traffic engineers, will be presented to the council for endorsement at its meeting on Tuesday night.
It took into account 64 community submissions plus feedback from a community forum at Balgowlah RSL and 217 responses to a survey of residents.
The council suggested the Link Rd be relocated to Dudley St, or that it be submerged and covered by “green land bridges” to maximise open green space.
RMS will also be asked to release data collected by the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer about emissions from the exhaust stacks and that RMS provide a report on the feasibility of filtering the stacks in the future.
Other concerns highlighted in the submission include:
● Lack of detail about property acquisitions;
● Noise and traffic impacts of upgrading the Kitchener Rd overbridge and;
● Construction vehicles using backstreets.
A Community Engagement Report to be presented to council said: “Overall we heard the community was generally supportive of the principle of a tunnel, but this support was conditional on the key themes being addressed by RMS.”
The release of the draft submission comes as public meeting of residents at Balgowlah Golf Club on Thursday night voted to reject the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link tunnel because experts say it will not deliver any material impact on addressing traffic congestion due to increased volume of trips and car usage.
Residents were also worries about the emission stacks, the impact of construction and the introduction of more traffic on to the northern beaches.
Michelle Zeibots, transport research director at the Institute of Sustainable Futures and also senior lecturer in the faculty of Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, told the meeting that only 22 per cent of northern beaches’ traffic would, on current, use access the Beaches Link.
Dr Zeibots said she could not see the justification for extra roads and favoured better public transport.
Dr Noel Child, a specialist in roads ventilation strategy, spoke at the meeting and questioned RMS policy of no filters on the emission stacks which he said defied common sense.
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