Lack of funding for Peninsula roads

Rabaul St, Umina Beach, is one road in need of a complete restructure

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is disappointed over the little or no funding for reconstruction of local roads in Central Coast Council’s draft 2024-2025 Operational Plan.

“It is a constant source of frustration that despite more than 80 per cent of our Peninsula roads being without kerb and gutter, footpaths and adequate stormwater drainage, the Draft Operational Plan for 2024-2025 makes no allocations for road reconstruction,” Chamber President Matthew Wales said.

“Other than general allocations towards road patching and resealing, the Council has no plans to reconstruct our key roads despite an increase in development and more people choosing to live on the Peninsula.

“The Draft Operational Plan cleverly defines road patching and resealing as road renewal.

“Council plans considerable resealing works for 2024-2025 including Rabaul St.

“But really, this is simply covering up the problem with bitumen without addressing the fundamental need to reconstruct our key roads with kerb and gutter, stormwater drainage and pedestrian footpaths.

“No-one begrudges money spend on maintenance but reviewing the Council’s Four Year Works Program 2024-25 to 2027-28 is grim reading.

“Other than the promised federal government funding for the Ocean Beach Rd/Rawson Rd intersection, there are no Peninsula roads listed for reconstruction works.”

Wales said it was frustrating to see millions of dollars being poured into parks, reserves and community buildings across the city including $9.45M to refurbish the Wyong Council Chambers over the next four years.

“It would seem ironic that we are spending millions of ratepayer dollars on wonderful shiny assets but get lost in potholes trying to get there,” he said.

“What is apparent from the works program is the absence of Peninsula developer contributions for road works.

“At a time when we are seeing a resurgence in our Peninsula town centres, Council should be allocating more funding towards civil infrastructure in support of local businesses and residents,” Wales said.

11 Comments on "Lack of funding for Peninsula roads"

  1. Harold Morhan | May 13, 2024 at 5:52 pm |

    Central Coast Council continues on its path of being the laughing stock on NSW local councils, and Dick Hart and his cohorts have perpetuated the problem. Of course they’re going to refurbish the council offices. we can’t have councillors working in a “slum” can we.
    Maybe an organized withholding of rates is due until the council starts acting for the people instead of themselves.

  2. The Peninsula deserves better.
    Wyong council only looks after itself.
    What a disgrace……….

  3. Central Coast Council is the worst council I have ever known. Ratepayers pay good money to this council, however, road maintenance is disgusting. Roads should be kerbed and guttered. More 50klm street signs need to be installed as trucks and 4 wheel drivers are doing a lot of damage to roads. Please listen to people!!!!

  4. I lived in Calypta road Umina Beach for 12 years from 1984 to 1996 and cannot believe the roads are still this bad 40 years later

  5. Yes it’s a disgrace. I was involved with construction of the sewerage system 40 years ago, and nothing has changed on the peninsula.
    Regrettably under the Administrator, is more concerned in marketing and community forums.
    Basic maintenance like controlling weeds along roads and footpaths is a disgrace. Gavenlock Road, Koolewong, totally unacceptable.

  6. Martin Galllagher | May 14, 2024 at 6:53 am |

    In October 23 345 residents living around the Deane st Narara area signed a petition asking for a small section of this street to be regraded and brought up to a standard suitable to cater for the various traffic types that use this outlet onto Narara Valley drive.After the petition was forwarded to Rick Hart via Dr.Gordon Reid nothing has been done except filling in the potholes that occur every time it rains.There are no capital works to be carried out in 24-25 according to Councils website. Visits by council road authorities have proved virtually useless.This response from Council only reinforces many residents views that we are the forgotten lot west of the railway tracks. We invite your news team to inspect Deane St for yourself.

  7. Elections for the new CC Council are due in September. Get active and get elected and make a change.

  8. Philip Clarke | May 14, 2024 at 12:12 pm |

    Please add Broadwater Drive Saratoga to your list of forgotten infrastructure

  9. The story of the central coast council and its lack of commitment to the rate payers has been long a problem over the last number of years ever since the state government amalgamated the Gosford and Wyong council under one council.
    I have lived on the central coast for 49 years and see our rate payers have to be hit with extra rate rises is nothing but a criminal act.
    Our road system and upkeep is a joke when we have very little paths, kerb and guttering drains that cannot fix our flooding problems which has out of control.
    We have an incompetent management run be a person who doesn’t live in our area and only wants to do one thing to fix every issue make us pay more rates does that make you look at the present government tax us more to fix their incompetence.
    We have a problem on the central coast and the only way to fix our problems is to get ride of the current management and get some honest aldermen who will work for us rate payers.
    We have roads and drainage that require a complete overhaul but when you advise the council of the problems they fix the holes with tar as soon as we get rain and we have heavy buses and garbage trucks on a daily basis our problems are back to the same old ways repair with shovel of tar and six council workers to fix one hole does that tell what our problems are yes hopeless management and waste of rate payers money.
    Let’s all get and complain to our local state and a federal representative we have had enough of this incompetent council management before we are all broke and can’t afford our out of control rates.

  10. Shame on Central Coast Council. How about fixing the road surface on the Esplanade at Ettalong beach it is disgusting and in parts is a danger to the public who use the walkway which is to narrow and very close to the road in some parts.
    And while you are at fix Bayview Cres at Blackwell. The residents who pay rates deserve better. why would anyone vote for the council who are so apathetic.

  11. we can spend a fortune on a cycle track on William Barret drive though. enough concrete there to curb and channel all of Toukley and Gorokan

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