Residents fear a ‘free for all’ on Mosman streets if council amalgamation plan goes ahead

MOSMAN residents fear a Greater Manly council — dominated by Northern Beaches councillors — would push to open up more rat runs.

The $450,000 traffic calming measures have been installed along the Beauty Point rat run. Road pictured: Pearl Bay Ave. Picture: ELENOR TEDENBORG

NORTHERN Beaches motorists could be given unfettered access to Mosman streets during peak hour once the proposed council mergers are in effect.

That is the concern among Mosman residents, who fear a Greater Manly council — dominated by Northern Beaches councillors — would push to open up more rat runs.

“There’s a fear in the community that in the medium term a council could say through traffic can use any residential street (and not) be limited to the main road,” Mosman Mayor Peter Abelson told the Mosman Daily.

“If we don’t have standing, who knows what the outcome will be.”

The $450,000 traffic calming measures that were installed along the Beauty Point rat run. Picture: Elenor Tedenborg

Cr Abelson said Manly and Warringah councils had a history of flexing their political muscle to gain access to Mosman streets.

“They were pushing very hard to have rights to travel through Beauty Point,” he said.

Councillor Roy Bendall said the flagged merger with Manly and the southern half of Warringah would result in a “free for all” on Mosman streets.

“The Spit Bridge is our fence. They know that, we know that,” he said.

“If they want to join our communities, build a tunnel.

“How silly of (Premier, Mike) Baird to say how we could co-operate as a council.

“The rat-run issue is an example of why we don’t want to be merged.

“Those decisions will be made by the mega council where, in a minority, there’ll be no protection for Mosman residents.”

Parriwi Rd residents at the Spit and Parriwi roads intersection. The residents raised concerns about a left turn from a car park into Parriwi Rd, as it created a rat run.

Mr Baird previously told the Manly Daily connecting Mosman with the Northern Beaches was important as: “ ... things like the rat-run issue ... you’ve got a capacity to actually think much more strategically across all the things we share”.

Mosman resident Mark Longhurst said he spent three hours on the phone trying to get clarification on that issue.

“I just want to get an assurance from Mike Baird that they’re not going say ‘right, we’re going to open up all the roads’,” he said.

Mr Longhurst feared an amalgamation would mean Mosman residents “will have no say as previously on traffic conditions in Mosman”.

“We’ve got no representation should they open all the rat runs that have been closed,” he said.