Canterbury Bankstown urge RMS, government to dump tree-cutting, road upgrade scheme
CANTERBURY Bankstown Council says the State Government’s plan to upgrade the busy intersection of King Georges and Canterbury roads at Wiley Park is “environmental vandalism”.
The Express
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CANTERBURY Bankstown Council says the State Government’s plan to upgrade the busy intersection of King Georges and Canterbury roads at Wiley Park is “environmental vandalism”.
Giving motorists only 32 seconds of relief, it includes cutting down at least 22 mature trees, the council said.
“The reality is that this critically endangered ecological community is going to be put through the mulcher to deliver 32 seconds of improved traffic flow,” Mayor Khal Asfour told the recent council meeting.
A Roads and Maritime Services spokesman said the planned upgrade was aimed at reducing travel time for thousands of motorists.
“As part of this work, RMS is consulting with Canterbury Bankstown Council on landscaping plans that include replacing the vegetation with five trees for every one removed,” he said.
“The detailed design and environmental assessment for the project is being finalised and the community will be kept informed as the project progresses.”
The council will ask Roads Minister Melinda Pavey to abandon the plan, pointing out that the habitat has been classified by the Federal Government as a critically endangered ecological community and by the State Government as a threatened ecological community.
“Almost a tree destroyed per second,” Cr Asfour said.
“That is the trade the NSW Government is not only prepared to make, but it is the one that they are actively pursuing in this project.
“The NSW Roads and Maritime Services is proposing to remove 22 mature trees and undergrowth that together form an important stand of remnant vegetation.
“I am not an idealist. I accept that RMS of course claims justification for destroying such vegetation and I acknowledge that it is impossible to continue to grow, be prosperous and develop our city without removing vegetation on occasion.
“But the benefits must be significant and while the RMS’ claim of saving 75 hours of driver time per hour of the peak sound impressive, this is just well-crafted spin.
“We have tried to work with the Government on this.
“Our staff have met with the RMS on a number of occasions and put forward alternatives.
“When these alternatives proved unfeasible we worked to identify suitable offsets for the destruction.
“But now we find in ourselves in an untenable position and I see no choice but to call on the NSW Government to abandon this project. ”
Mayor Asfour said he would write to Opposition Roads spokeswoman Jodi McKay and Lakemba MP Jihad Dib requesting their support to stop the planned upgrade.
“I move that council write to the Minister for Roads, Shadow Minister for Roads and Member for Lakemba, calling on each to support the abandonment of the Canterbury Rd and King Georges Rd Intersection project, an exercise in wanton environmental vandalism,” Cr Asfour said.