DEAR News Of The Area,

SO the NSW Active transport Minister Rob Stokes has intervened when a billion-dollar freeway upgrade on Sydney’s north shore fails to address the “missing link” of a cycleway.

The Minister was forced to step in and bring the highway builders back to the negotiating table according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald on 29 November 2022.

Independent North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker said the way big infrastructure projects are run is to release 30 percent of the design before construction starts, leaving a later decision for the contractor.

With the Coffs Harbour bypass we have also found that the extent of privatisation of the design and build process has largely blocked effective community participation.

Hence we are having to fight like hell to protect Grandpa’s Scrub, a small patch of critically endangered lowland rainforest after the initial planning process failed to adequately recognise its significance and ensure it was protected.

We are calling out to the “Active Environment and Heritage Minister” James Griffin to step in and bring the highway bypass builders back to the negotiating table, just as his fellow North Shore Minister has done for the billion-dollar freeway upgrade in their patch.

Perhaps local MP Gurmesh Singh, always keen for a good environmental story, could take the case for stepping in and bringing the Bypass builders back to the negotiating table to Environment and Heritage Minister Griffin.

Looks like a good chance of a win-win in the North Shore freeway upgrade, let’s work to achieve the same for the Coffs Bypass.

Regards
Ashley LOVE,
Coffs Harbour.