Government report says $8 billion Northern Beaches tunnel could be put off for 20 years
The $8 billion project intended to solve commuter traffic problems on Sydney’s northern beaches could be off for two decades — with a government report stating other projects are more important.
Manly
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FRUSTRATED northern beaches motorists and commuters are set to wait up to 20 years for the congestion-busting Beaches Link road tunnel to be built.
The NSW Government’s latest state planning document calls for the $8 billion, 7.5km twin-tunnel motorway to be put on the backburner in favour of other transport projects.
Released by Premier Gladys Berejiklian last weekend, the State Infrastructure Strategy 2018-2038 suggests more focus be put on public transport options for the northern beaches such as the B-Line bus route and fixing traffic “pinch points”.
The strategy, prepared by the government’s Infrastructure NSW agency, said the proposed Western Harbour Tunnel, which would have connected with the Beaches Link at Cammeray, should go ahead.
But buried on page 139 of the report, planners said Beaches Link needed “to be weighed carefully against other potential government sector investments”.
“In a constrained fiscal environment, a near-term decision to invest in (Beaches Link) may mean deferral of projects elsewhere in Greater Sydney which may have greater city-shaping impacts.
“Infrastructure NSW supports an increased focus on public transport (such as the Northern Beaches B-Line), demand management and continued investment in pinch points to ensure fast and reliable access (on the northern beaches) over the next 20 years.”
The tunnel’s deferral comes even though the government’s latest transport blueprint — Future Transport 2056 — also released on Sunday, describes Beaches Link as a “near-term priority for the Sydney motorway network”.
And in April last year, just before the Manly by-election, Ms Berejiklian signed a pledge put to her by pro-tunnel community group the Sensible Traffic Action Group, that work on the Link would begin by 2019.
The Premier said at the time: “We’ve got the money, we’ve done the planning work and we can actually get on with the job.”
The government has already set aside more than $70 million to pay for geotechnical work and detailed planning along the route from Cammeray to Balgowlah and Seaforth.
A tunnel reference design was expected in mid-2018 as well as the start and completion dates.
NSW Labor has committed to axing Beaches Link.
Opposition Leader Luke Foley said his priority was public transport in western Sydney.
“Given the need for public transport in western Sydney, the northern beaches tunnel is a vanity project that can’t be justified,” Mr Foley said.
“Look at what Infrastructure NSW has to say in its State Infrastructure Strategy. I completely agree with them.”
Manly state MP James Griffin said he expected planning on the project would continue and that a comprehensive environmental assessment process would begin in the second half of 2018.
Mr Griffin also plugged the B-Line, which he said was cutting 10 minutes off journeys to the CBD.
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said the council looked forward to seeing the detailed proposal later this year.
Federal MP for Warringah Tony Abbott said he expected the Link to go ahead and an announcement by the NSW Government on firm construction timelines to be made soon.
“These decisions aren’t made by bureaucrats, they are made by ministers,” he said. “This is a bureaucrats’ report, not a minister’s one.
“Our area is choking in traffic and all our members of parliament are well aware of this.”
Roads Minister Melinda Pavey did not respond to Manly Daily questions.
