Our community needs to take urgent action to ensure the disasterous impacts of the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Projects can be mitigated. These projects are going ahead despite the Beaches Link cancellation and in light of a yet to be approved modification which further concentrates impacts on our residential school zones and key business districts. 

Bay Precinct (Cammeray) and Naremburn Progress Association Committees have resolved to campaign together for better outcomes for our communities.You can be part of the campaign by completing the following actions. Please share this with your friends and neighbours. In under a week over 100 people have already sent more than 1000 emails to key decision makers using this letter campaign!

Community Actions (Click the buttons below)

Background:

On the 21st November Bay Precinct, North Sydney held an urgent community meeting in light of progress on the project without amendment or review. The meeting rallied support for writing to key decision makers in light of many ongoing and new threats and emerging costs.

The Meeting was presented with 4 focus areas which need to be urgently reviewed by State Government Decision Makers:

  • Space
  • Streets
  • SMOG
  • Sense

Why is Action Needed Urgently?

  1. A major Modification which moves even greater short and long term impacts into Cammeray and North Sydney
  2. Announced Commencement of the tunnelling project in Cammeray without the modification being approved
  3. Cost blow outs of the project and significantly eroded cost/benefits
  4. The fact that Millions in Beaches Link Infrastructure is still included in the design despite it being cancelled
  5. Growing concern about pollution impacts in light of WHO pollution criteria being lowered based on health research
  6. No clear plan to return the 7+ha of cleared vegetated space to the community – with more trees planned for removal now moving into Naremburn
  7. Growing evidence that there is a very significant traffic impact on North Sydney and Willoughby – we have all seen the chaos caused by the Rozelle Interchange – a similar fate awaits us unless we see major changes
  8. Lost opportunities to transform the corridor into sustainable transport rather than a zone growing in car dependency
  9. Evidence that the Rozelle Interchange has had extremely detrimental impacts on the Inner West and traffic modelling was insufficient

Recommendations:

  1. Write to Decision Makers to request urgent reassessment and mitigation (the government has changed since previous letters were written)
  2. Consider completing a petition to cancel the tunnel project (Stop the Tunnels)
  3. Individual community members should write to the WHTBL Team, Local State Government Member and cc Council regarding any construction or property impacts as they occur

Reporting Construction Stage Impacts:

We recognise that there are many people in the area who are suffering greatly due to the construction impacts of this project – Bay Precinct and Naremburn Progress Association (and local organisations) are always happy to hear from you however it’s important that the right people are told about these impacts. Our focus currently is trying to get the government to re-assess the reason we are baring the brunt of this poorly justified program of works.

Email

Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link Team: whtbl@transport.nsw.gov.au. (To sign up for automated updates click here: https://caportal.com.au/rms/wht?view=ButtonLink_13a570b3)

and

State Member for Willoughby Electorate, Tim James: willoughby@parliament.nsw.gov.au or State Member for the North Shore Electorate, Felicity Wilson: northshore@parliament.nsw.gov.au

cc

North Sydney Council, council@northsydney.nsw.gov.au or Willoughby Council, email@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

Check which State electorate you live in here

This is a State Government Project and whilst Council can advocate for community members the best placed person to represent you regarding construction stage issues is your elected State Representative. You should write to the Project Team and the State Member. Be sure to explain how the issue is impacting you, your family, your health or wellbeing. Please keep your local council informed so that they can continue to advocate for impacted communities. By joining your local Progress Association or Precinct you can escalate unresolved issues and find support from others facing the same issues.

Contact Bay Precinct at: bayprecinct@gmail.com

Contact Naremburn Progress Association at: secretary@naremburnprogress.org.au

Further Information

Project Documents

The Western Harbour Tunnel Portal (see notices and documents for up to date information)

Warringah Freeway Portal (see notices and documents for up to date information)

Approval Related Documents

The Western Harbour Tunnel Modification Application

Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Project Assessment

Beaches Link Project Assessment

Infrastructure NSW Business Case Summary 2020

Infrastructure Australia Business Case Summary