Failure to deliver on Arncliffe tunnel

I refer to the article "Council blocks tunnel plan" (Leader, June 24).

In 2011, the NSW Government committed $5 million to Rockdale Council to deliver safer access for pedestrians at Arncliffe.

At the commencement of my term in office, council was provided funds to manage the project and identify the appropriate site for safer pedestrian access adjacent to the Al Zahra college.

It has taken Rockdale Council more than three years to undertake preliminary studies of the site while the schoolchildren and residents of Arncliffe are no closer to having safer access at Wollongong Road/Allen Street.

An important part of this process is delivering the most appropriate upgrades and it is important that council and the state government work together to achieve the best outcome for the community, which I am striving to do.

But council seems happy to do nothing, deliver nothing and continue to falsely boast it has pleaded with the state government to take this project off its hands.

To date, the NSW government has not received correspondence advising of council's intentions despite its claims in the article.

I am disappointed that the Arncliffe community is still waiting for these upgrades to be progressed.

I am disappointed that it has taken three years for council to backflip on its ability to deliver for its community.

And I am disappointed that council prefers to play games with the safety of its community than let this state government deliver what council quite clearly can not.

John Flowers, Rockdale MP

Just get on with it

Re the article "Council blocks tunnel plan" (Leader, June 24).

I really wish the councils would stop the blame game and get on with this really important issue.

As a resident close to the underpass I drive through daily early morning, on many occasions I've had to swerve to not hit a pedestrian/cyclist. And with the ongoing construction in the area, pedestrian traffic will increase.

I really do think this project ought to be prioritised. Working locally as a nurse, a grieving family is devastating to see when they have lost a loved one.

So please, Labor and Liberal: let's work together on this one.

Sam Jomaa, Arncliffe