Independent Central Coast Councillor, Mr Greg Best, has labelled a Future Transport 2056 briefing presented to Central Coast Council by Transport for NSW on Monday, November 20, as all gloss and no substance.
Transport for NSW approached Central Coast Council on Tuesday, November 14 requesting an opportunity to brief staff, the Mayor, and any other interested Councillors, to discuss the draft Future Transport 2056 strategy with Council, before submissions closed on December 3.
Clr Best said a scan of the draft Future Transport document detected one mention of the Central Coast, as opposed to 76 references to Sydney, Western Sydney and Parramatta.
“I will be asking Transport for NSW whether the 40-year strategy includes costed plans for the Warnervale Link Rd and a replacement of the San Remo bridge,” Clr Best said.
“This draft strategy is an election flyer for the State Government,” he said.
“If they cannot get the amalgamation of the Central Coast Council right, can we really have any confidence in their ability to devise a 40-year plan for our roads?
“I will be asking them about the Blue Haven and Pacific Highway upgrade and about the road network for the Warnervale Town Centre,” he said.
“Future Transport is engaging extensively with customers across Greater Sydney and Regional NSW to raise awareness, stimulate discussion and place the customer’s voice at the centre of the Strategy and its Plans,” the draft Future Transport strategy document said.
“We are keen to hear from you before we finalise the Strategy and Plans in early 2018,” it said.
“To date, more than 5,000 people have responded to our online surveys, and more than 40,000 people have been involved in digital or face-to-face consultations.
“We have held 27 engagement sessions with councils, business associations and community groups in rural and Regional NSW including Inverell, Wauchope, Griffith and Cobar, as well as business roundtables to discuss the future of connected and automated vehicles and placemaking,” the draft strategy said.
Clr Best said he believed the request to brief Central Coast Council so soon to the deadline for submissions was an indicator that the region had been overlooked.
Source:
Interview, Nov 20
Greg Best, Central Coast Council
Website, Nov 20
NSW Government, Future Transport Strategy 2056
Jackie Pearson, journalist