M4 East Claims Don't Stack Up
The announcement by the Roads Minister today of the RTA's preferred M4 East option is a cynical exercise in manipulation, that will leave Inner West residents in the middle of a traffic nightmare according to advocacy group, EcoTransit Sydney.
"The Minister's claim that he has gone for the long tunnel to save Haberfield is a lie," said EcoTransit spokesperson, Mary-Jane Gleeson..
"This is a minor change to the short tunnel motorway. The short tunnel was always going to dump tens of thousands of cars near Timbrell Drive, Haberfield, and it still will," she said.
"The announcement changes nothing. The community still gets an increase of 150 percent in traffic flowing from the existing M4. Bland Street and Frederick Street are located squarely in Haberfield and Ashfield and they are still the sites of the proposed portals onto Parramatta Road. That is a disaster for Parramatta Road," said Ms Gleeson.
The group says the Minister has responded to a vocal "not in my backyard" minority whose families were most affected by the original M4 East proposal.
"Instead of demonstrating leadership and addressing the real cost, public health and pollution issues for the whole community, Scully has shifted the problem from one resident to another," said Ms Gleeson.
EcoTransit Sydney also claim the RTA's traffic projections grossly under-estimate the traffic impacts on the community.
"Using RTA estimates we can show traffic in the Inner West will be demonstrably worse under this amended proposal," said Ms Gleeson.
"On the most conservative estimates traffic will increase by about 20 percent and 40 percent on Parramatta Road and the City West Link respectively," she said.
RTA Traffic Projections
Parramatta Rd
Current daily traffic on Parramatta Rd (RTA figures): 86000
Additional daily traffic from expanding M4 by 150%: 43000
Reduction if 30% of 86000 cars redirected to CWL: 25800
Total projected traffic for Parramatta Rd: 103200
Percentage change on Parramatta Rd (increase): 20%
City West Link
Current daily traffic on City West Link (RTA figures): 66000
Increase if 30% of Parramatta Rd traffic redirected to CWL: 25800
Total projected traffic for City West Link: 91800
Percentage change on City West Link (increase): 39%