Residents protest installing clearways along busy Pittwater Rd at Collaroy
Residents, shop owners and surf life savers have expressed major concerns about a proposal to install clearways along one of the northern beaches’ most busiest roads — here’s why they are protesting the plans.
Manly
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RESIDENTS, shop owners and surf life savers have expressed major concerns about a proposal to install clearways during daylight hours at Collaroy.
Business owners on Pittwater Rd have urged the State Government to reconsider plans to have no parking on Pittwater Rd.
The clearways are proposed to operate in both directions, from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and from 9am to 6pm on weekends.
“Australia likes to show its beach culture to the world, well this will be the death of Collaroy Beach,” said owner of Collaroy vet Peter Pendergast.
Businesses fear a loss in trade from cars not being able to stop in front of their cafes, supermarkets, stores and cinemas, but have also highlighted safety concerns.
Owner of Stay Grounded cafe, Ryan O’Neill said people lived in the area because of its vibe.
“Most residents either buy or rent in this area for a reason, they know they go down to the local Thai restaurant, the IGA or a pub or cafe,” he said. “You take that away, you will kill the culture,” he said.
He questioned statistics released by the RMS that 60,000 cars travelled through Collaroy per day.
He had obtained statistics from the RMS traffic counter in Collaroy, which shows about 40,000 per day.
Founder of United Cinemas, Roy Mustaca said his Collaroy venue already suffered in the bus lane hours.
“An elderly person can not stop their car in front of the cinema to get their wheelchair out,” he said.
“It is a big problem so people don’t come anymore.”
He said he was already unable to change his cinema to make it more accessible due to heritage concerns.
“The community loves Collaroy and loves to come to the shops … they won’t be able to do it anymore because we won’t be here,” he said. “I will be the first one closing the theatre.
“Forget about us we will go elsewhere … we are here to give a service and we will give it elsewhere, but what happens to the people in this area, in all of the peninsula?
“They have already put in clearways for when we needed it during peak hours, why do we need three lanes all day long? There’s no traffic.”
Collaroy Surf Life Saving Club president Greg Broome said they would struggle to find parking for the volunteers who patrol the beaches during summer under the plan.
“Our patrols run all day weekends and public holidays, our members come from local areas, just outside the area and rely on parking in the main street to be able to cover the beach,” he said. “They need to do their patrols and stay for the duration and not have to get out four hours into a shift and have to find a new parking spot, particularly in a busy period.”
He said on Sundays 300 nippers came to the beach, which “would just be impossible to cater for”.
Collaroy resident Leah Gason said she and her neighbours held serious concerns for safety if the changes were put in place.
“There are loads of families that walk down to Collaroy with their kids, bikes scooters and prams and all the rest of it,” she said. “So having a six-lane highway in the middle of a strip like Collaroy has massive safety issues.”
She pointed out the dangers for wheelchair-bound people who have visited Sargood - a resort for people in wheelchairs, saying this added danger to their stay.
“I have been in a wheelchair before and for a long enough time to know what it is like,” she said. “You wouldn’t want to be in a wheelchair off a main highway, it is very unsafe.”
Asch’s IGA owner Jimmy Aschner urged those against the plans to show up to a n RMS and Northern Beaches Council information booth from 10am-1pm. There are also sessions tomorrow from 4pm to 7pm and Thursday November 1 at the same time.
Feedback can be sent to clearways@rms.nsw.gov.au or on 1300 706 232.
The RMS did not respond to questions before the Manly Daily went to print.
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