Re the ‘‘Council - ‘It’s war’: 24-hour clearway plans for major roads’’ (Leader, March 14).
As a local chartered accountant and small business advisor, I am disgusted that the NSW State Government is considering introducing 24-hour clearways on Princes Highway, Rocky Point Road and The Grand Parade.
This is the same political party that promotes itself as the "champions of small business" and very successful in creating jobs for local economies.
This "clearways" idea is exactly the opposite, it will destroy many local small businesses and have significant flow on effects to the local economy.
Shame on you Premier!
David Chambers, Carlton
Yes I’m right behind our Mayor Bill Saravinovski in outright rejecting this latest proposal from the State Government.
I’m a local in Rockdale and value the amenity and community of shops here.
Already there is too much traffic along our major roads and presently a lot of it created by the big double Bs shifting stuff associated with the Westconnex construction site at Arncliffe which many of us also don’t want.
A couple of weeks ago about 500 concerned local citizens attended a meeting passing motions against the project.
Roads Minister Melinda Pavey trots out the hoary old chestnut about the competing benefits of ‘‘the majority of the (car driving) population against local concerns’’ essentially pitting car drivers of distant suburbs against locals.
That’s a toxic waste dump point of view because we are all part of the wider population!
The problem is sticking with the motor car in a city which has become so dense that it’s no longer the appropriate mode of transport.
The bigger problem is that her government and to some extent the opposition are in the big money pockets of the motor lobby which stifles sensible debate about transport policies.
Victor Bien, Rockdale
Oxymorons aside, where is the logic in 24-hour Clearway "plans"?
Are there traffic snarls 24-hours a day, or is this the government’s long term planning expectation?
24-hour clearways are a metaphor for, or a measure of, planning deficit, as are the 8-hour clearways that precede them - a symbolic substitute for transport corridors not built.
Having sat on the proposal for such a long time, why then has the NSW government been inconsistent in developing off-street parking so as not to affect business, and allowing the swelling ranks of high-rise without ample parking on major traffic corridors and just the occasional commuter car park.
Many would not consider this "planning".
Why employ a department of planning if nothing is done to avoid the chaos of "half-baked" government proposals?
R Piech, Sans Souci
