Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection

My two daughters sail each week at Northbridge Sailing Club. This is an excellent opportunity opportunity for them to exercise outdoors which is something often lacking in children's modern lives.
We are concerned that the restrictions to be put in place on Middle Harbour between Clive Park and Seaforth will make sailing from Northbridge impractical to the detriment of my own children and all other cub members.
We hope that the restrictions can be modified to allow sailing to continue.

I am a home owner in Serpentine Crescent, North Balgowlah for almost 25years. I object to the Tunnel strenuously. It doesn’t have a light rail and has no dedicated Bus lane. It is being built to purely appeal to the Toll operators. It will cause congestion and rat runs on the roads around the Seaforth/Balgowlah area by people avoiding the prohibitive tolls.
While it is being built the workers will not have an area big enough to park their private vehicles and as such will be a total disaster for residents.
I object to the total loss of green area that is the Balgowlah Golf course. The loss of such mature trees is a total travesty for the birds and other wild life. It is natural green space which will be gone forever. I object to the reduction in water flow by 94% of the stream flowing through the deviation as stated in the EIS report. This will decimate the vegetation and wild life reliant on the water abundance.
I object to the waste water being sent to Manly Lagoon and thus polluting Queenscliff Beach with heavy metal pollutant, making water swimming and water sports harmful for swimmers and our young Nippers.
I object to the total non - filtering of the exhaust stacks. This is in an area full of kindergardens and preschools .There is also Balgowlah Boys high school and North Balgowlah public school. The toxins and pollutants that will cause bronchial problems among children and the elderly are totally irresponsible. These unfiltered stacks will rain down on the residents for the life of the tunnel causing guaranteed health problems in the future. When the government was in opposition Gladys Berejiklian said about the Lane Cove Tunnel “Members of parliament should examine their conscience and consider how they would feel if their children or loved ones were exposed to this level of fumes every day…world’s best practice is to filter tunnels”. Why is this tunnel unfiltered?
I object to the dredging up of toxic sludge during the construction of the water tunnels polluting the pristine area of middle Harbour and its environs. It is a fact that the pollution curtains do not work 100% and pollution of the Clontarf swimming area is inevitable.
I object to the further loss of some of Manly Dams area, the loss of vegetation flora and fauna due to road developments and the loss of an animal corridor for our native animals.
I summarise my objections here , 1 Local traffic gets worse.2. There is insufficient traffic to fill the toll road requirement.3.Military road problem doesn’t get solved. 4. Infrastructure NSW rates it as a low priority project. 5. The need to feed cars into Westconnex should not be the driver for this project. 6. Public transport alternatives are not compared nor is public transport substantially benefited. 7 .The modelling relies on pre Covid and outdated data. 8. The project has a very high cost and low evidenced benefit.9. The travel time saved quoted don’t add up.10. There is a questionable Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), it has not been released to the public.

The environmental impact due to additional pollution created in a densely populated school area damages the health of children long term - this is a serious issue. In addition, polluting flat rock gully will kill native flora and fauna. We are in danger of losing a lifeline for not just us but innocent native animals as well.

Air Quality - stacks should be filtered as many school and homes are extremely close. In 2008 Gladys Berejiklian critised the Labor Govt when in Opposition. Why has she changed her stance on this important health issue. No Air Quality Data has been provided both during and after construction. An independent air quality study should be carried out at each stack so the results are made public before any further decisions are made.
Impact on Local Residents - this Beaches Link Tunnel does not take into account that now and on numerous other similar projects, the majority of the public prefer public transport solutions. There has been NO provision for bus lanes, recreational areas, ie. Bicycles, alternate detour routes to Nthn beaches Hospital in an emergency when tunnel is blocked. This does not address congestion issues at either end or exit points. Rat runs in residential areas (already unbearable at peak times) will only increase with these limited exit points without forward thinking solutions.
Health Issues - Balgowlah Heights to Seaforth to Allambie Heights form a basin around and down to Manly Dam. Without Filtered Stacks during construction and over time serious health issues are bound to surface. Here is a list of 11 schools affected:-
Balgowlah Boys High, St Cecilia's Catholic, Manly West Public, Seaforth Public, Farmhouse Montessori School, Balgowlah Public, Balgowlah North Public, Mackellar Girls High, Balgowlah Heights Public, St Kieran's Catholic and Manly Vale Public .
The health of communities and cost to the environment far outweighs the benefits this short term solution to move traffic to and from the City. It has been shown by the Covid Pandemic that more people will be working from home and be more flexible when office hours are necessary.
Please note a sea breeze is not always constant. Toxic fumes from the tunnel will sit within this basin. Health issues during construction and ongoing operation will affect many lives and cost of health to future and present governments.
Environment - My water comes from Manly Dam. My drinking water does not appear to be taken into account during and after construction, let alone effect on wildlife and flora when Burnt Bridge Creek ceases to exist. Why should road runoff NOT be contained before entering Manly Creek and affect water quality out to Queenscliff Beach.
This project is totally lacking detail. It shows a government hell bent on bulldozing traffic chaos onto small roads, without forethought for future residents and business. We do NOT need an 8 lane expressway to the city. We need a better transport system. As there are no railways north, we need better access to Chatswood or Upper Nth Shore railway stations and more productive bus routes.

Objection to Beaches Link Tunnel February 2021 (28th submission)

Objection submitted by G. Partridge and R. Sugden property owners of 17 Pyalla Street.

We are writing to object to the proposal to build the Beaches Link Tunnel, based on the following concerns, many of which have been confirmed to be entirely legitimate by the recently reported EIS

1. Health and Safety –The risk of contamination to both air, ground and water resulting from the proposed site of the main temporary dive site located in Flat Rock reserve and the siting and filtration controls (or lack of) of exhaust fume stacks. We are both suffering from long term chronic health conditions (cancer - for which evidentiary proof can be provided) which will be exacerbated by this activity in the environment.
2. Negative environmental Impact – Destruction of the bushland on the Eastern side of Flat Rock Drive with no stated certainty that this area will be revegetated.
3. Traffic issue – significantly increased traffic congestion directly affecting our street because of the truck movements and additional traffic lights on Flat Rock Drive. This for a multiyear period with 24/7 construction
4. Potential Property Damage – this is of particular importance to us as we understand one of the tunnel lanes will run directly under Pyalla Street.

In summary, this project will have a materially negative impact on our direct community during construction in the short term (5/6 years) and pose an on-going threat to resident/school health and overall amenity in the long term with no clear benefit to the community.

We urge you to halt this project and research alternatives in its place.

Your Sincerely

Gavin Partridge and Ruth Sugden
17, Pyalla Street, Northbridge

Although I support the beaches link tunnel I believe in this day and age the local environment should not be harm, I am mainly referring to the Burnt Bridge Creek. I have been fortunate to have lived in this area for 14 years and enjoyed this wonderful environment. The local wildlife depend upon the creek and the surrounding area flourishes because of the creek. I believe the government should be able to provide a solution which will maintain the creek to its natural glory whilst also providing a fully functioning tunnel.

I would like to take this opportunity to strongly object to the NSW Government’s plans to construct an UNFILTERED Exhaust Stack Tower on the “island” on the Warringah Freeway adjacent to the northern side of the Ernest Street Overpass Bridge given the significant number of schools/child-care centres in the Cammeray/Neutral Bay/North Sydney area.
Exhaust gasses from vehicles using both the Beaches Link Tunnel & Western Harbour Tunnel will be emitted from this combined Exhaust Stack, and not filtering it is not in line with World’s Best Practice for tunnels of similar lengths being constructed elsewhere in the Developed World. Furthermore, Australia has not implemented Euro 6 standard, nor seems to have a plan to adopt the Euro 7 standard for petroleum powered vehicles which would lower the deadly toxic emissions. Added to this there does not appear to be a plan to restrict the use of the tunnel by banning diesel powered vehicles given the high level of toxicity associated with this type of fuel.
A simple method of protecting our most vulnerable would be to filter the combined Exhaust Stack which would represent a very small percentage of the overall Beaches Link Tunnel/Western Harbour Tunnel/Warringah Freeway Upgrade project costs.
I look forward to your response,
Kind regards,

Diana DUGGAN

I would like to take this opportunity to strongly object to the NSW Government’s plans to upgrade the Warringah Freeway in the Cammeray/Neutral Bay/North Sydney area to accommodate the planned Beaches Link Tunnel & Western Harbour Tunnel given the significant decrease of Green Space that this will cause.
A simple method of compensating for the use of part of Cammeray Park (Cammeray Golf Course) would be to build the Control Centre for the Beaches Link Tunnel & Western Harbour Tunnel underground and construct a cantilevered platform from the eastern side to the western side of the Warringah Freeway between ANZAC Park & Cammeray Park, and perhaps over the freeway between Ernest Street and Falcon Street and turn these areas into additional Green Space in a similar manner to tunnels in other parts of the world.
I would assume that this would represent a very small percentage of the overall Beaches Link Tunnel/Western Harbour Tunnel/Warringah Freeway Upgrade project costs.
I look forward to your response,
Kind regards,

Diana. DUGGAN

On review of the exhibited EIS it is my submission that the proposed road infrastructure presents significant adverse social, environmental and economic impacts to render the project unsustainable and ultimately detrimental to local Northern Beaches residents.

The Northern Beaches community is not anticipated to grow significantly in the next 20 years, representing only 3% of Greater Sydney’s growth (‘Towards 2040’ Northern Beaches Council, 2020). In this regard it is not more road infrastructure bulldozed through harbour and bushland but a smarter and more sustainable approach to our existing road links and corridors. The proposed additional road is the wrong type of transport infrastructure required on the Northern Beaches. A new road link into existing constrained road networks at Wakehurst Parkway Frenches Forrest, Seaforth and Condamine Street Manly Vale will not address local traffic needs and appears likely to increase traffic congestion in locations around the tunnel.

More appropriate infrastructure priorities, with regards to our relatively stable growth, job containment should be considered which provide for less cars on the road and not more as projected. In this regard the investment should be diverted to public transport infrastructure priorities within the Northern Beaches rather just another link in and out of the district. We have already seen that even by just a relatively small spend, putting in a nice new fleet of colourful express buses up and down the Northern Beaches can improve the use of public transport by something like 10% and a commensurate reduction in car usage. Continued and more advanced and innovative forms of mass transit that connect local community & employment hubs, centres and neighbourhoods across the Northern Beaches should be the subject of the biggest infrastructure for Northern Beaches – not another road. In terms of travel in and out of the Northern Beaches, particularly for employment, the largest employment centre on the Northern Beaches is at Brookvale with a third of all local jobs. The proposed ‘link’ is several suburbs away from key employment centres and time gained in an express trip through a tunnel would appear to be negated once surfacing onto the local road network. Roads like Condamine Road Manly Vale are already full and congested enough without being subject to another feeder main road making is worse.

Other opportunities exist to improve the 4 major transport links in and out of Northern Beaches including Ferry Services (with significant capacity if better transit links made north of the Wharf), without the need for another. This connection with Greater Sydney is important. However based on both local and global trends, we see significant shifts in the way people live and work which alters priorities for transport infrastructure that wrongly facilitate and prioritise investment on long distance commutes from one side of the city to another. Metropolitan Sydney targets for a 30min city are not served by projects like the Beaches Link which just get cars from one end of tunnel to another minutes faster. They do nothing to build healthy, sustainable and cohesive communities with local ’30 minute’ jobs, services and facilities. The 10 billion dollar promise of getting in and out of the Northern Beaches quicker (notwithstanding traffic delays) does nothing to improve quality of life locally and the EIS highlights 10 pages of impacts - both immediate, long term and permanent for local communities. A need to get workers from burbs to city is a well outdated and irrelevant model with people living more flexible, integrated and varied lives. Better access both within and in and out of the Northern Beaches is not addressed by a big spend on more roads and more traffic. Let us focus our biggest infrastructure spends on quality of life within the places where we live, work and play. Greater priority should be given to truly public transport infrastructure projects that reflect the NSW Government principles for planning in place and connection in local community and the needs of people. Fast moving tunnel traffic out of the local area does not meet the day to day needs of an aging population (older on the northern Beaches than the Sydney average) who value their natural environment more than circulating metropolitan Sydney in tunnels.

Other particular environmental impacts arising with the project are also the subject of this objection concerning Burnt Bridge Creek, Bushland, Tree cover, Air and noise pollution and water quality. I object to the anticipated reductions in water flow on a valued and unique creek corridor to the extent in which it is likely that its continual flow be reduced to a series of stagnate puddles. Loss of some 2000 trees and 15-20 ha of bushland is excessive particularly in terms of is ecological and scenic values of the Manly Memorial Park. Air Quality assessment for Seaforth requires further assessment and consultation given assumptions that base level air quality that is enjoyed now is similar to Gore Hill. Impact must be measured from the existing point of current levels of clean air and breeze cooled through the creek corridor and local sea breeze. Other risks to health in the harbour waterway are also intolerable.

As a Northern Beaches resident which will be significantly and adversely effected by the impacts exhibited in the EIS tunnel project, I submit the NSW Government’s process of reviewing submissions should provide for a further series of Public Hearings. Requests for extensions of time to review the EIS have been refused. Many stakeholders that have spent the summer reviewing the 13 volumes exhibited. Most however like myself have struggled to find the time required as reflected in this 11th hour submission. I submit for myself and for the community more widely that this process has generated a need for a further level of public engagement that is now more informed in terms of the severity, complexity and numerous impacts requiring consideration. Significant questions arise as to whether impacts may be mitigated and whether the impacts warrant this transport infrastructure whereas other more sustainable and viable transport solutions urgent call for more greater attention.

This Is my backyard
This is my neighbourhood.
This will create - noise pollution, destroy the eco system, cause soil erosion, destroy the habitat. Ruin playing fields, walking tracks, and access to the natural environment. There are historic Aboriginal sites that will be lost forever. What about water pollution, asbestos, traffic nightmare, thousands of truck movements. There are alternate areas to consider. This is a beautiful, small suburb that will nope cope with this environmental destruction for the next many many years.
You must reconsider this proposal

I object to the proposed Northern Beaches tunnel because of the destruction to the environment, removal of close to 2,000 trees which will severely affect the ecological system and destroy the natural habitat of native animals and plants. The construction process will, in my view, severely impact the quality of life for residents of the lower northern beaches particularly in the suburbs of Balgowlah, Seaforth, Fairlight and Manly Vale. Unfortunately the proposed tunnel will also bring more and more people into the local area thereby severely impacting the quality of life for the existing residents. It is also a major concern about the cost of the tolls which, could quite easily be in the vicinity of $20.00 to $30.00 per day. I reiterate that my major objection is the destruction of the trees and subsequent destruction of wildlife.

1. Chapter 3 clause 3.3.8.2 states "Sydney's worst road congestion occurs between Balgowlah and Sydney Harbour through Mosman and Cremorne (Grattan Insitutue 2017). I note that there is no data from Transport NSW to support this. Having personally commuted on M5, M2 and M7 between 2011 and 2016 those roads are far more congested.
2. Chapter 4 Clause 4.3.3 has not considered the following alternatives
(a) 24 hour 7 day a week clearway along Military Road;
(b) Widen or duplicate spit bridge (similar to Iron Cove);
(c) Under pass at intersection of Burnt Creek Deviation, Sydney Road and Manly Road to remove the pinch point created by this intersection. A similar design to the underpasses at Northern Beaches Hospital along Warringah Road could be used.
3. Unfiltered ventilation stack at Balgowlah within 500 metres of 3 schools and thousands of residents. This stack will be in a valley and the pollution will sit in that valley if there is no wind. If this is wind depending the wind direction the pollution will affect the suburbs of Balgowlah, Balgowlah Heights, Seaforth, Clontarf, North Balgowlah, Allambie Heights and Manly Vale;
4. Diversion of Burn Creek - this will result in the loss of a significant natural habitat and ecosystem
5. Unfiltered ventilation stack at Seaforth - this stack will be on a ridge line and pollution will spread a long distance
6. Widening of Wakehurst Parkway - will result in significant loss of natural habitat on the east and west of Wakehurst Parkway. Further as this road is on a ridge line there will be additional run off into Manly Dam and Bantry Bay. If there is an oil spill then run off will be into those water ways.
7. Population of the northern beaches is slow growing (1% each year). There is no business case for this tunnel. By looking at the alternatives above can alleviate transport congestion
8. Construction will have an enormous detrimental impact for the residents of Balgowlah and surrounding areas through increased truck and construction movements, increased construction noise, loss of the Balgowlah Golf Course and other permanent loss of greenspace at Balgowlah and along Wakehurst Parkway.
9. Tunnel will encourage more traffic to the northern beaches on the weekend. Our local roads are already congested and cannot cope with more traffic on them;
10. The cost to the community and the tax payers does not outweigh any benefit from perceived reductions in travel times which may or may not eventuate. Based on M5 tunnel and M2 widening those roads were congested very soon after they were constructed.

I am writing to formally object to the Northern Beaches Tunnel plans and intent. My reasons for objecting are outlined in the attachment to this form.

As the mother of two young children living in Allambie Heights, I have serious concerns about the impacts of the Beaches Link project. The information provided in the EIS shows it will worsen congestion around Frenchs Forest while at the same time doing much damage to Manly Dam bushland and other beautiful natural spots. Therefore, it will not deliver travel time benefits for our area, while negatively impacting our surroundings.
At every level, this project will fail my children and their generation.
• It will put tens of thousands of school students in harms way during construction (dust, noise, extreme congestion and stress), essentially asking them to conduct six or more years of their education alongside massive construction sites. Once built the tunnel will also expose tens of thousands of children to unfiltered emissions daily due to the proximity of the stacks to many schools, despite strong past statements by politicians including the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian about the risks of unfiltered emissions.
• It will lock our region into a private car, toll based transport model which is the most punitive transport model financially for young families and the most damaging, in terms of emissions, damage to flora and fauna and water resources.
• The tunnel project also fails to take into the NSW Government’s commitment to ‘net zero by 2050’ as it is both emissions-intensive during construction and operation. Likewise it fails to consider the environmental losses in terms of net zero by 2050, Australia’s commitment to the Paris accord and numerous other environmental policies and goals. Felling large areas of carbon dioxide-absorbing trees will just increase emissions locally. In the UK, a court has just block Heathrow Airport’s third runway due to the project’s incompatibility with the UK’s Paris commitments. The Beaches Link tunnel seems to have been considered with thought for our common future or the government promised commitments to climate action.
• The tunnel project fails to understand the community’s deep love for the natural environment on the northern beaches and our responsibility to ‘future proof’ this region for our children by retaining and protecting our valuable urban bushland. Almost a third of endangered species are surviving in urban bush. Its importance to the future of Australia’s natural environment is critical.
• The Beaches Link project does not take into account major changes in how we live and work since COVID19. My husband previously commuted to a job in western Sydney. The only way he could afford to use toll roads was to have these costs ‘packaged’ into his salary. We have since both reverted to working locally and will continue to do so. As a family we do not want a life of long distance commuting using expensive toll roads. COVID19 has given many of us the opportunity to rethink and restructure so we can live and work locally. We are also surprised how incompatible the tunnel project is with the NSW Government’s recent draft planning blueprint prioritising green spaces, local liveability and public transport over private cars (smh, https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/bike-friendly-green-space-working-from-home-new-planning-blueprint-for-life-after-covid-19-20210224-p575hy.html.)
• To improve transport for those who need to move in and out of the northern beaches, we would prefer public transport and active transport options over private toll roads. It is very confusing to be presented with a private toll road when so many government and Council policies claim to be promoting public and active transport.
• We would prefer NOT to use the Beaches Link tunnel for all these and many other reasons. We hope its many negative impacts are seriously considered by Transport for NSW before public money is committed to such an uncertain transport model.

My view are evident in my submission.

The Northern Beaches Tunnel is an extraordinarily expensive project which is at odds with the direction of progressive individual, community, local, state and federal government thinking around the world.
Energy and infrastructure projects globally are focused on renewables, building clean public transport, and and the multi-generational transition from cities focused on "urban CBD"s to hub-and-spoke networked conurbations.
The National Broadband Network (NBN) at a cost of A$57bn is an example, i.e. creating infrastructure to allow people to work from home, thus negating the need to commute.
Covid has accelerated this shift in ways which were unimaginable years ago, when the concept for the Northern Beaches Tunnel was conceived.
Why would we waste tax payers money... MY MONEY... on a tunnel that will be out of date by the time it is completed? The Tunnel will encourange MORE cars on to the road. We should be building world class, clean, public transport to REDUCE the number of cars on the road.
Not only will the Northern Beaches Tunnel waste tax payers money. It is an environmental disaster for Balgowlah. We are all aware of the hydrological and environmental impacts on Burnt Bridge Creek and the communities of flora and fauna that inhabit it. My home is less than 200m from the creek.
NSW should be focused on clean infrastructure, creating spaces for people to work locally, and getting cars OFF the road.
I OBJECT to the building of the Northern Beaches Tunnel and hope that it does not proceed.

1. Overall the tunnel to the Northern Beaches appears to involve enormous cost to the NSW taxpayer, disruption to NB residents for many years, permanent damage to the NB environment, and considerable uncertainty over what if any benefit will result. Recent changes arising from COVID including working from home and the near-universal substitution of Zoom (etc) for face-to-face meetings has changed traffic patterns and so increased the uncertainty of those benefits further. I appreciate that with record low interest rates and a need to stimulate the NSW economy infrastructure spending seems attractive, but the NB is the wrong place to do it. Instead invest in fast rail to the Central Coast and Newcastle - areas with enormous potential for growth of housing, office space (if needed) and a wide range of small and large businesses.

2. If the tunnel really MUST go ahead then the stacks must be filtered. The EIS cites uncertainties about the effect of traffic fumes, but the burden of proof should rest with the NSW Government - risking the health of local children is simply not acceptable. Unless there is convincing evidence that the stacks and fumes will NOT have a negative health impact on the local community then filters must be costed in and installed.

3. More work needs to be done on the environmental impact of the tunnel entrances. The plan (or need?) to pump away huge amounts of water to save the tunnels from flooding will leave Burnt Bridge Creek pretty much dry and have a currently unassessed impact on both the bushlands and domestic properties across a wide area of North Balgowlah. As the land dries out can we expect subsidence? Will there be a die-off of trees? What consideration has been given to alternative models, including pumping a proportion of the water to the top of the (Burnt Bridge) creek? After all, all of that water has to go somewhere - why not let some of it go down the creek?

I am writing to formally object to the Northern Beaches Tunnel plans and intent. My reasons for objecting are outlined in the attachment to this form.

I object to the project in its current format. While I support the development of the tunnel itself, consideration needs to be given to the proposed plan of development , While it is expected to interupt community activities while it is being built , this disruption should be minimised where possible.
As it currently stands the proposal will significantly prevent Northbridge sailing club from conducting its weekly competition. The club has served the community for the best part of a century and generations have passed through. It provides an excellent learn to sail program for local children such as mine who continue to serve the club in a voluntary capacity. The community spirit that this volunteer club encourages is important to continue to maintain. Such disruption could cause membership to fail and subsequently result in the decline of the club.
The club and it members and the local community would request further consultaion so that disruption to club activities can be minimised over such a long period.

I give permission to publish the name "Edward Precinct"but not my name.
I did try to upload a docx version as well, in case useful to you, but for some reason your site rejected it.