NRMA backs residents in their bid for clearways plan in Collaroy to be scrapped
AUSTRALIA’S biggest motorist advocacy group, the NRMA, has backed calls for a clearway plan at Collaroy Beach to be scrapped.
Manly
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- Clearways, parking changes planned for Collaroy Beach
- Collaroy residents, businesses call for clearway plan to be scrapped
- Hundreds rally against plans for clearways at Collaroy
AUSTRALIA’S biggest motorist advocacy group, the NRMA, has backed calls for a clearway plan at Collaroy Beach to be scrapped.
It follows a 500-person protest at the Collaroy Beach Playground on Sunday, which coincided with a planned Roads and Maritime Services information booth on the proposal.
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.
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.”
He said the 500-strong crowd on Sunday should be enough to make the RMS take notice.
“The RMS have said this is purely a consultation process, it is a discussion opportunity with the community and the community have been pretty resolute and made their feelings known,” he said.
“The best knowledge on these issues comes from a local. For the local community to have responded the way they did is a pretty good demonstration about what this clearway would mean to the community, so, we say to the RMS, please listen.”
The RMS did not respond to requests for comment.
Asch’s IGA owner Jimmy Aschner, one of the rally organisers, said it was “an excellent turnout”.
“Our message was very well received”.
An RMS spokesman last week said: “Pittwater Rd is the main corridor connecting the northern beaches to the Sydney CBD, carrying more than 60,000 vehicles each day, with road users including bus customers experiencing delays and congestion in both directions.”
He said proposed clearways would help ease congestion, improve journey reliability and improve safety for road users.
Mr Aschner said residents wanted to see the RMS statistics. “We would first and foremost like to see the data that they have allegedly used or compiled to think this proposal is a good idea in Collaroy,” he said.
“We don’t see it as needed.
“We think the current situation is adequate and has been addressed by the new turning bays which were done in the last six months.
“We feel they have addressed a large chunk of the problems and would like to see the data for that strip.”
Fox Sports presenter and former NRL player Matty Johns was among those at the rally, along with former Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles coach and player Geoff Toovey.
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan and Mackeller federal MP Jason Falinski were also there.
Mr Falinski said the large crowd was representative of the 5000 jobs impacted, the residents who regularly used the area and the 50-odd community groups that used the beach.
‘This is an ill-considered proposal by the RMS. We are in the middle of their consultation period,” he said.
“They are not known for taking on board the comments of the community, so this is one agency that we have to speak louder than normal to.”
He raised concerns that the clearway would eventually become 24 hours and then a bus lane if these changes were allowed.
“After what happened to the T3 lanes (which were converted to bus lanes) I am pretty keen to make sure they don’t go near that,” he said.
Cr Regan also spoke at the rally and promised to put forward a motion at the next council meeting to oppose the clearway.