A plan to address traffic congestion between Thirroul and Unanderra is at least two years away from being finished, let alone being implemented, according to latest advice from the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight.
The original Thirroul to Unanderra Network Strategy was scrapped in November this year to be replaced by the development of another plan – the Illawarra Shoalhaven Future Transport Plan.
The Minister for Roads has confirmed that work on the new plan started this year but that it will not be completed until 2020.
Once it is completed approval of its recommendations will be required and an implementation plan will need to be developed delaying real change even further.
The continuing delays by the Berejiklian Government on the development of a plan for the road network between Thirroul and Unanderra is further proof that the Government has no solutions to local congestion problems.
Comments attributable to Ryan Park MP:
“It is just incredible that the development of a plan to address local congestion problems in the northern suburbs is going to take up to two more years to complete.
“According to the Minister, staff from the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS), Transport for NSW, Department of Planning and Wollongong City Council have already been working on solutions yet there is nothing to show for it – what on earth has been going on?
“I thought scrapping the Thirroul to Unanderra Network Plan was disgraceful but this is both a waste of taxpayer’s money on the first plan followed by wasting time to get a second plan done that will say the same things as the first.”
Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:
“More transport delays, indecision and chaos bought to you by the same Government that is overseeing the CBD lightrail time and budget blow-outs.
“Scrapping one plan to replace it with another that is going to take up to two years to complete is just further neglect of Wollongong.
“At the speed at which the Berejiklian Government is going we are more likely to see lifts at Unanderra Station before we will see solutions to local traffic congestion – and we have been waiting eight years for the lifts to be built.”
