Fox Sports host Matty Johns joins campaign to scrap clearway plan for Collaroy
FORMER rugby league player and Fox Sports presenter Matty Johns has joined a growing chorus of people opposed to clearways at Collaroy, on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Manly
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FORMER rugby league player and Fox Sports presenter Matty Johns has joined a growing chorus of people opposed to clearways at Collaroy.
Johns, who was one of about 500 people to attend a public rally on Sunday, said the Roads and Maritime Services needed to reconsider its plans for Pittwater Rd.
The RMS has planned no-parking zones in both directions on Pittwater Rd from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on weekends and public holidays.
A number of parking conditions will also be put in place by the council, to help ease the impact on businesses.
“Clearways through Collaroy are an unnecessary and crazy idea which will destroy the family owned small businesses, and will severely impact the community culture of Collaroy,” Johns told the Manly Daily.
“The government’s job is to serve communities, not destroy them.
“Sometimes they need reminding of that!”
Following the weekend’s rally - which coincided with an RMS information booth - the nation’s largest advocacy group for motorists, the NRMA, told the Manly Daily it was critical of the proposal.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said putting in extra restrictions that hindered roadside parking near the beach would not work.
“Where there have been other clearways, — Victoria Rd, for example — what we have said is we support the use of clearways in peak- hour periods to provide some relief,” he said.
“But there has to be a demonstrable avenue for which they can replace some of the on-street parking”
Mr Khoury said clearways on Pittwater Rd between the shops at Fielding St and Lismore Ave at Dee Why were a bad idea.
“In Collaroy, the geography on the left-hand side is the Pacific Ocean and on the right-hand side is mountains, there just isn’t that capacity, so there is validity in the community concerns.”
A RMS spokeswoman said a final decision had not yet been made.
“RMS will not make any final decisions about the Collaroy clearways or the corridor until it evaluates and takes into account community feedback,” she said.
“RMS is aware Northern Beaches Council’s proposed changes to its public carparks along Collaroy Beach has contributed to community concerns.”
She said RMS officials would meet with the council to further discuss parking and the needs of local businesses.
“This proposal remains very much in the consultation phase, where all community concerns and feedback will help determine the final outcome,” she said.
“Since clearways were introduced on Victoria Road between The Crescent and Iron Cove Bridge, casualty crashes reduced by around 40 per cent and rear end crashes by 83 per cent.
Send feedback to clearways@rms.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 706 232.