Canterbury-Bankstown Council demands NSW Government pay to fix ‘dangerous’ potholes as buses replace trains during Metro conversion
A Sydney council is demanding the state government foot the bill to fix its “dangerous” roads, blaming an increase in potholes on buses that have replaced trains during Metro conversion works.
The Express
Don't miss out on the headlines from The Express. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A southwest Sydney council is demanding the state government foot the bill to fix its “dangerous” roads, blaming an increase in potholes on buses that have replaced trains.
Canterbury-Bankstown Council has confirmed it is in talks with Transport for NSW after finding a significant uptick in damage on routes used by the buses that are ferrying train passengers while tracks are converted for the new Sydney Metro.
A council spokesperson said the damage was a direct result of increased traffic caused by the T3 Bankstown line shutdown.
“It is clear that the replacement buses used to ferry thousands of passengers are having an impact on our roads,” the spokesperson said.
“Council is aware of the issue and has been carrying out patching work. However, this is only a temporary solution.
“We are in discussions with Transport for NSW to fund the heavy patching work required and working with them on a timeline to minimise disruption to commuters and the community.”
The council gave no indication about the amount of money it would be seeking from the state government.
Along one bus route in Belmore, Lakemba St residents said a “dangerous” reoccurring pothole had been patched up at least five times over the past two months.
They said the last two repairs had been made within days of each other.
“They will be back in a week,” one frustrated resident said, taking to Facebook.
Thomas Amico, 18, said the pothole made it difficult to access his own driveway.
“It’s really hard to back (the car) out, I’m always expecting to hit it at least once,” he said.
“That pothole has always been a problem for a long time, but as soon as they started bringing all the Metro buses in, it 100 per cent made it worse.”
Neighbour Maria Basra, 23, said it was especially dangerous at night.
“It’s actually really dangerous,” she said.
“It’s only a matter of time before someone is hurt, especially at night.
“We don’t really have much street light.”
“I don’t think council or (Transport for NSW) are taking this seriously. They’re not fixing this properly, they’re just doing a lazy job.
“They come and fill it in every now and then, but it just keeps coming back.”
Down the road, Wadih Chidiac, a mechanic at Maatouks Tyrepower Belmore, said while most potholes were usually harmless to cars, the one on Lakemba St had the potential to do real damage.
“In the worst-case scenario, you could blow a tyre or damage your rims,” he said.
“I hit that hole on Sunday, actually. It’s incredibly frustrating.
“My tyres cost me around $500 each, and if you need to replace tyres or your rims – especially right now when people can’t really afford to be spending money on their tyres – it’s really ridiculous.”
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the state government department was working with councils along the T3 corridor to “monitor and respond to wear and tear caused by increased bus movement”.
“If a motorist identifies a pothole, it can be reported by calling 131 700.”
Potholes can also be reported online.
Tarot cards, crystal ball seized in raid on alleged scammer ‘psychic’
Police have arrested a third person following investigations into an alleged fraud syndicate, which is accused of scamming vulnerable people out of their savings by claiming to be “psychics”.
Words that allegedly sparked fatal street fight
A 22-year-old man stabbed to death in Newcastle over the weekend has been identified, as police reveal why two people charged with his murder are suspected of attacking him.