Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection

As I read through the aptly named Appendix F - Traffic & Transport (Jacobs), I discover on page 68 of 377, the key destination of Amherst St (which we live 2 streets from for over 20 years now) is to gain access to Cammeray Golf Course (CGC). As such a long period of time has elapsed on this project, you would think that factual statements would be the norm, well no still the local person (and I have mentioned this to many) screws up their (now unmasked face) and says what?

In reality the only vehicle access (at present til it is carved up as a project staff carpark WFU style) to CGC is from Park Ave Cremorne where apprx. 40 caspaces support not only all the golfers but also to the all weather/season Soccer field built by North Syd Council without any parking!

Amherst Street Cammeray is the major east/west access in/out/through Cammeray used mostly as a 'rat run' which causes much noise, speeding & congestion especially at peak travel times, a very different perception of the Jacobs description. Do you actually fact check these obvious errors as much as the pretty colours on all the maps and diagrams? Are we so confident in the high standard of work and research of these years in the making documents that such an obvious reality for one of the major impact suburbs isn't even close....and you wonder why the community consultation isn't working for the community!

I have read and I support the detailed submission that has been provided by Balgowlah Boys School in objection to this project. I would like to submit my additional opinions here in that I think this project will bring a trivial benefit with respect to the investment it requires, even when ignoring the extensive disruption and environmental impact that the works will generate.
The traffic flows for motor vehicles will be only marginally improved. I commute 2-3 times per week along the Military Road corridor to my workplace in Barangaroo, using powered and non-powered bicycles. The change from a year ago is clear - even on the busier weekdays the congestion compared to pre-COVID days is lower. On the return journeys home it is even more noticeable along Military Road that the peak is lower and shorter. I believe when things settle down after vaccinations are done and dusted, the increased return to public transport will lower the loads from single occupancy cars still further. The congestion statistics need to be reworked for this project once a new normal has been reached - I believe this will reduce the marginal benefits that have been determined from previous load patterns by a decent margin.

I would like to see much stronger investment and facilitation into sustainable transport methods - even with the currently sub-optimal cycle route options, I still have a more pleasant journey into work on a bike and can make it door to door in 40m - and that's a 54 year old that has had two cardiac surgeries. I see the continuing influence of vehicle lobbies weighting our critical planning decisions at an unconscionable cost to our communities and environments. I would like my governments at state and national level to be working strenuously to put the absurdity of the single occupancy conventional car commute behind us. I see huge benefits from not moving ahead with this flawed, politically charged project.

I strongly object to the tunnel project for the following reasons:
* Unfiltered emission stacks - there are many research articles and reports to show health issues related to unfiltered stacks and the current proposal has them placed right in the center of our community, schools and homes. We have personally worked hard and saved for many years to purchase a property in a nice leafy suburb to raise our 3 young children and the thought of unfiltered emissions next door to our family home is frightening and unacceptable. It should not even be an option to have unfiltered stacks!
* Construction noise - being right next to the proposed construction site, I have huge concerns about the noise level 24hrs a day and the impacts to our daily life as well as the damage caused to our homes by the constant vibrations. Not to mention the constant stream of trucks lining up and using local roads to remove the spoil. Now that many people are working from home regularly if not full time, this noise will also impact peoples work environment
* Environment - the unnecessary loss of green space, trees and endangered wildlife, but the damage it will cause to our surrounding environment, flora and fauna species
* Obsolete data - the data used for the initial planning of the proposal is no longer valid as many people are now working remotely and the need for residents to travel as frequently into the city has significantly reduced. The balance of working from home is set to remain high and therefore does not justify the need to waste billions of taxpayers money. In addition, the suggestion of the time saved is a farce and obviously using data from a one off worst traffic days recorded and not the day to day flow of traffic (and that was pre-pandemic).
* We should not be encouraging more private vehicles, instead we should be looking at better public transport options
* Property valuation reduced - we had our property valued before the proposed tunnel and more recently and despite the market increasing in our local areas, houses directly impacted by the tunnel such as ours have been significantly devalued as a result
* Community consultation - none of the concerns raised by locally impacted communities (including but not limited to those mentioned above) have been addressed or resolved

Please see attached letter from the Tasar Association of New South Wales, supporting Northbridge Sailing Club, on the significant adverse impacts the maritime arrangements proposed will have on the Club and members of the Tasar Association of New South Wales. Changes to the proposed mooring locations must be made in consultation with the Club and financial support should be given to support Northbridge Sailing Club through the construction period.

To the Northern Beaches Tunnel Committee,

Sunday 28 Feb 2021

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a resident of Seaforth and have been here since 2007. I work in Neutral Bay and commute daily by car. The time to work has generally increased over that time but COVID certainly reduced the driving time when everyone was working from home. Even with a substantial number of businesses having gone back to work in the city I have not seen the traffic as bad as it was previously.

I feel that with the changes to work travel and the ability for many to work from home, it would be prudent to reassess the need and the benefit from having the tunnel. While nothing will halt progress, an improvement in public transportation should be looked at considering the success of the B Line buses. Public transport should not be reduced to create demand for a new tunnel.

As I live within a kilometre of the smoke stack at Seaforth I have serious concerns for the health of myself and my family due to the lack of filtration. Having read issues related to the WestConnex project I cannot understand why ANY increase in cancer and other health problems would be acceptable and seen a justification for the lack of filtration. There will be pollution enough from the increase in traffic to the area for 5 or more years. I cannot envision living in a community where there is the constant threat from nearby exhaust fumes.

We moved to this area for the bush land and the beaches and truly feel that the tunnel will remove much of the flora and fauna that make this area special. With the movement of sediment around Clontarf and Middle Harbour, the destruction of Burnt Bridge Creek and the pollution of the Manly Dam and its surrounding running and bike trails, I don’t feel that going out for a run will be safe or enjoyable.

I am not someone to write or complain but as this issue will affect me directly I feel compelled to voice my objection and ask for justification and have the outcome be one that will be safe for my family and for the future generations of our area.

Yours Sincerely,
Dr Jason Pang
20 Alto Ave, Cnr Alto Ave and Kirkwood St
Cosmic Smile Laser Dental

As extensive and yet inadequate Noise measurements have been included in the EIS, to be governed by another goverment agency, how can the dominant goverment service be so negatively impacted with such sensitive receivers? Are you not clear.....public schools owned and run by the NSW Government, private & religious schools funded by the Federal govenment are the biggest losers in this project, both in the construction phase and post go live!

A significant problem exists with accuracy and sincerity of stated travel time savings, particularly from Balgowlah to the CBD. It is widely stated that there will be a saving of 38 minutes in the morning peak with the tunnel. The present maximum travel time for the 170X bus service from Balgowlah to the CBD is 41 minutes, with many services several minutes less than this depending on the actual travel time. There is some differences between bus and car travel. Buses are bigger and harder to manage than cars and they also stop several times to load and unload passengers and so are slower in comparison in this regard. They do however have the benefit of the Transit Lane which some cars can use too. So when stating a travel time it is highly subjective as to what vehicle is being portrayed, however, as car travel to the CBD is not extraordinarily different to bus travel the times savings stated seem completely untrue. Taking things on face value the EIS figures indicate a car could be taking up to 80 minutes from Balgowlah to the CBD, or conversely when the tunnel is built the bus will take 3 minutes from Balgowlah to the CBD. I suggest the travel time savings stated are fictitious and completely dishonest. The questionable travel time savings are the real basis for this project, hence if they are highly inaccurate then the whole reason for this project and its' massive cost and disruption to communities is invalid and the findings of the EIS worthless.

I live in very close proximity to the entrance of the Wakehurst parkway tunnel, the corner of Kirkwood Street. Noise and waste pollution has been shown on plans to majorly affect me and my family, distrupting the peaceful and clean neighbourhood that we reside in. Not only that but the construction project will go on for an eta of 7 years, with the waste products building upon year after year. I need to request that at the very least, adding some filters for the plumes of smoke rising out of the tunnel. No matter how little the effect, protecting our community families' health is of the utmost importance. I am a 15 year old boy in a local school with allergies that can significantly impact me.
Your Sincerely,
Hayden Pang

I wanted to add I am also highly concerned about the lack of genuine consultation. I haven't been able to get the WHTBL team to call back for over a week and emails go unanswered. When I have got through I'm told they aren't familiar with the area and that someone else will call back but this hasn't happened. The last correspondence was that they are on personal leave so cannot help. It is disturbing that no one can help despite the massive amount of resources being spent to "engage". Quoting figures of how much money they have spent making marketing flyers and not listening is not engagement.

There has been no interest at all in considering the cycling and active transport links wholistically, to form a network or corridor north to south, despite the marketing lies all about improvements connecting communities the cycling lane from Cammeray to North Sydney will be lost with no replacement, and the underpass that is currently disjointed needs to be connected to the south to continue to a destination like North Sydney or the Harbour Bridge, not removed. The project is genuinely misleading that they are improving conditions for cyclists. Their detour around a golf course instead of improving the lane that goes to North Sydney is a joke. And then replacing the same falcon street bridge without going over Falcon street to connect to the st Leonards park is not an improvement.

The massive loss of green space in North Sydney is unacceptable. Why will the project not return any green space to the community or provide a net increase. As far as I can tell football fields worth of space are lost in Cammeray at the Golf Course, the planned eastern cyclist link along the perimeter of St Leonards Park, and a huge exit tunnel carved out of the basket ball courts. Crossing falcon street will become even worse with multiple sets of lights to try and get across the traffic, with the addition of the slip lanes from the tunnel, and no foresight to connect the pedestrian bridge over to the park. Equally in the other direction to the north and north west the cycle lane zig zags across the freeway, when the whole corridor was an ideal space along the western side of the freeway from Lane Cove through to St Leonards park. Why is that not connected to improve the infrastructure and instead cars prioritised?

I'm really concerned that as a small business owner who works from home and records video and audio from a home office, noise will be a great issue. I am yet to receive any help or assistance despite living within 150m of the stacks and main construction site of the biggest project in decades. According to maps I found with no help of the project's "consultation" the neighbour block is considered by this residence not considered, so there is no intention to provide any noise assistance despite their own maps showing the construction noise will be impacting this area and not just during work hours. I cannot get any answers or why I am deemed not suitable for noise treatments, no one replies to emails or calls back, and no one can explain where the semi trailers and trucks will go after they turn on to Ernest Street. They should be banned from small local residential roads like Lytton street, air brakes banned, and generally not allowed on residential streets.

I object to the project on the grounds that it is not providing improvements for all people, including those worst affected, instead it is funnelling more cars and fumes through an area already decimated by the mistakes of previous governments and planners. Why is there no public transport improvements instead? If only active transport and public transport received the same amount of billions of dollars this project is, imaging what great world class standard safe and efficient transit could be, and how that would go a long way to enticing people to get out of traffic inducing and polluting cars, and instead return the city to its people.

Please find my objections outlined in the letter attached.

Regards,
Johanna Peters

See attachment

I would like to register an objection to the proposal to truck substantial quantities of tunneling spoil via the Flat Rock Drive dive shaft into Flat Rock Drive, via Brook Street and onto the Warringah Expressway. It is not clear to me whether these trucks will be accessing the Western Harbour Tunnel directly or crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and connecting to the Western Distributor. Trucking the very large quantities of spoil onto Brook Street and into the WHT or crossing the SHB will be very high impact. I would like to establish whether the alternative of staging the project in such as way as to achieve early access for spoil trucks via the Artarmon exit portal of the Beaches Link into the Lane Cove Tunnel and directly onto the M2 and M7 was thoroughly examined? Thank you Gary Blumberg, Practicing Civil Engineer and Member Engineers Australia.

Dear NSW Government,
As a resident of Balgowlah, I am deeply offended and against the proposed tunnel on the following grounds:
- the ecologocial destruction to this local area; eg, the removal of the beautiful natural nature, peace, in particular, Burnt St Creek and Bat community.
- the toxic sludge and aural disturbance for 7 years in such a quiet surburban area
- the large stracks so visible in such a surburban area and close to schools, in particular Balgowlah Boys and St Cecilia's. How can you allow this to occur!?
- the cost does not equal the gain. How is putting more cars on the road, when people want less, a good idea - just to save a few minutes on your travels.heart
- this will change the heart and soul of Manly with over 40,000 extra vehicles a weekend. It is a small inlet/area. Where ar e all the more creative/environmentally solutions?!
- this does not make sense. 12 lanes wide in Balgowlah? This infrastructure is too large for such a peaceful area.
-the ones who it is aimed at benefiting is the far nothern beaches - however, they are the mercy of choked roads at Brookvale, Dee Why and Manly Vale. This does not solve that problem!!? And at a cost of $10-12 billion!? It is rediculous.

Please stop and reconsider this. The community want a much better, creative solution that inolves public transport not more cars.

Thank you.
M. Campbell

I object strongly to the approval and construction of the Northern Beaches Tunnel Project due to it's poor economic case and the significant detrimental effects it's construction and operation will have on me personally as a resident in Balgowlah in close proximity to the proposed construction and also on the Balgowlah, North Balgowlah and Seaforth communities and environment.
As a first year university student with 5.5 years of study ahead of me, I am required to spend large amounts of time each week both studying and accessing university lectures and tutorials online from home. This project will significantly hamper the ability of myself and other university students or individuals working from home in the local area for at least the proposed 7 year construction time. As well as the significant noise problem, the cost to the local environment in pollution and loss of community green spaces regularly used would be extremely detrimental to the local community. Below I have included more information about the significant problems with the project.

To properties adjacent to Balgowlah Golf Course, it is expected that construction of NBT will cause about 7 years of disruption and negative health effects due to noise, dust and pollution starting in 2023. I object to the large and inevitable negative impact of construction traffic and construction employee parking, noise and dust pollution will have on my family at our home which borders on Balgowlah Golf Course.

University students spend much of their time studying and working from their residence, particularly now that Covid has forced universities to deliver many lectures and tutorials via online media, this feature is unlikely to revert to pre-covid levels.
There will be significant noise, particulate and dust pollution due to projected movements of one large truck per minute from Balgowlah using the local roads daily from 7am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 1pm Saturday also causing additional local road congestion and traffic
disruption.
·      underground Tunnelling is planned 24 hrs a day 7 days a week; a large number of properties will experience noise from tunnelling above 35dbA and some 45dbA when tunnelling occur below them.
·      Early hour NBT construction workers, contractors and subcontractors will park in local streets irrespective of site prohibition.
·      The Balgowlah Golf Course area will be subject to excessive noise from drilling, rock crushing and earth removal.
·      Uncontained Silica dust generation and exposure from release and ‘track through’ will endanger local residents and workers putting them at increased risk of respiratory illnesses such as asthma, silicosis and lung cancer.
·      The residences surrounding the underwater section of the NBT will be subject to loud construction noises greater than 75db from impact piling of cofferdam walls over 12 months.
·      Possible sediment disturbance generating unsafe levels of heavy metals, lead hydrocarbons etc in middle harbour including the Sandy Bay area and Clontarf beach.
NBT lacks an accurate and supportive business case, and has poor environmental and social cases:

· The NBT was presented as a done deal by government. There was no community consultation on the reason for constructing a new $12- 14 billion road tunnel in comparison to the cost and advantages of rail or other public transport enhancement alternatives.
· The NBT is justified as meeting the need for an additional transport route to alleviate traffic along Military road. This provides only a 10% traffic reduction and is based on incorrect traffic modelling assumptions using traffic data that pre-dates Covid and the likely permanent shift to Work From Home and the reduction on commuter traffic.
· There is no proper business case to justify the $12-$14 billion cost estimate.
· Instead of encouraging an increased use of public transport, the tunnel encourages “Induced traffic demand” which expert modellers calculate will neutralise the promised time savings within 3-4 years, leaving Northern Beaches commuters worse off at the end of that time.
Aside from Induced demand from existing commuters, if the tunnel is built, it has
potential to induce demand for an additional 40,000 cars to travel to the local beaches during summer causing loss of street parking.
· In order to support the weak business case for the NBT expensive tolls $7-8 each way are proposed, this will be a significant new impost on residents of $70-$80 per week ($4,000 annually).
· Tunnel avoidance due to these expensive tolls will lead to worse traffic along Military road.
· Some of the hypothetical time saved on travel to the city during peak times will be lost due to local traffic congestion and bottlenecks.
· Introduction of traffic lights in Sydney road and at the tunnel entrance will impair current traffic flow along Sydney Road and Burnt bridge creek bypass.

I also object to construction of NBT based on negative impact on the Environment, specifically:
· The provision of unsightly, unfiltered exhaust stacks 8 – 10 stories high exhausting polluted air containing fine particulates collected from a 7km tunnel length near schools (Balgowlah Boy’s High and several Primary Schools) and in the middle of proposed public playing fields.
· Unnecessary loss of green space such as the Balgowlah golf course (which is also used by the community for walking / dog-walking) and due to widening of Wakehurst Parkway.
· The loss of approx. 400 mature trees and potential impact of a further 150 mature trees.
· Reduction in property values of homes, including my home.
· Loss of nearly 2,000 mature trees due to widening of Wakehurst parkway.
· Detrimental effect of runoff from the widening of Wakehurst parkway into Manly Dam.
· Risk to and loss of endangered Flora and fauna.
I object to construction of NBT but if it is given planning approval the following mitigation measures must be stipulated and enforced in contracts with Construction company and Operator:
I strongly object to the building of the Northern Beaches Tunnel and proposed related access road and unfiltered smokestack at Balgowlah Golf Course, however Northern Beaches Tunnel (“NBT”) is given planning approval despite the widespread opposition from affected local residents,
I require the following measures to be put in place to minimise negative impacts on health, amenity and property values:
Surface work and construction vehicle movements must not occur outside the times of 7am to 6pm weekdays and 8am to 1pm Saturday and must not occur on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Respite periods – especially during noisy works phases. These respite periods must be communicated in advance to the Residents to allow for planning of business calls / zoom meetings / child sleep periods etc.
• All construction traffic must be fitted with noise and pollution control devices (including ‘croakers’ or ‘quackers’ to reduce the impact of tonal reversing alarms).
• No construction vehicles must be permitted to wait or idle in Brighton St, Wanganella St, or other local roads.
• All staff, workers, contractors and sub-contractors (“Employees”) must park only in designated parking hubs (away from residential areas) with a regular shuttle service to the Balgowlah construction envelope.
• The vehicles of all Employees are to be badged for ease of identification.
• Employees must, as part of their engagement contract, be prohibited from parking outside of designated parking hubs and be required to comply with local road and traffic rules, with a suitably deterrent penalty system put in place for any breaches reported by members of the public.
• Appropriate onboarding/induction for all Employees to educate them around local road structure and school zones. This induction needs to be maintained throughout construction of the NBT.
• A site-specific construction 24/7 hotline and website (“Balgowlah NBT Website”) must be established for the receipt of complaints and breach reports from members of the public (“Complainant”). As part of this process there also needs to be a formal complaint handling mechanism in place requiring:
1. responses to be provided to Complainants within 5 business days of receipt of a complaint / breach report, detailing what investigative, remedial or penalty action has been taken, or is to be taken (and when);
2. penalties to be applied if the response time limit in 1) above is not met; and
3. a designated department within TfNSW be given responsibility for the escalation of complaints or breach reports (where a similar transparent complaints handing mechanism must be implemented).
• The emission stacks must be filtered. This is non-negotiable. This is regarded as ‘best practice’ for tunnels of similar length in Europe.
• Better health protection measures must be implemented for the control of silica dust created from the tunnelling through sandstone. The current measures proposed are inadequate. ‘Track through’ dust pollution from site vehicles will not be adequately controlled by proposed measures.
• Air Quality Monitors need to be installed and operated 24/7 at the end of Brighton Street, near Balgowlah Boys campus and Seaforth Public School, with real time readings to be publicly available on the internet and a system for text alert notifications to be automatically sent to Residents if pollutant safety levels are exceeded.
• Clear suitably deterrent penalties must apply to the NBT Construction Entity and NBT Operator for every occasion when pollution level limits are exceeded.
• All penalties relating to the NBT project that are imposed as a result of pollution, complaint time limits, parking, or other road or traffic infringements must be published on the Balgowlah NBT Website.

End of Submission

I strongly appose the tunnel project and think it is contrary to Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement:

"The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century.
The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects."

The tunnel project is contrary to this agreement for 3 reasons: 1. the simple construction of the project promotes the usage of car for commuter transportation above existing public transport and future development of alternative/new public transport routes. 2. Trees and other wildlife areas that are being destroyed will release carbon and also stop the absorption of additional carbon 3. Dredging may result in pollution of Sydney Harbour. 4.The unfiltered stacks create pollution to levels that both increase the chances of people getting Asthma and those with Asthma of dying.

In the UK precedent exists in a landmark ruling against the government's plans to create an additional runway. This was predominantly due to the principles of, 'If you build it, they will come." The courts deemed the runway would encourage and increase air traffic and in turn be contrary to the Paris Agreement. Those in support of the tunnel have been quoted as saying they support the project as it would mean they could stop taking public transport and drive instead. This will directly increase carbon emissions. And therefore the courts could declare this project illegal and contrary to the Paris Agreement. The government should research other forms of transportation as potential solutions. As seen in the attached, trains are the most efficient for transporting people and are also more energy efficient. In the case of building any form of tunnel, a train one would be smaller and have less of an impact on nature and the local community. The government has not publicly explored this option.
The EIS states in Chapter 26 and Appendix X construction is 723.7 kt (that’s kilotonnes) plus operation is 45.3 kt in 2027, then rising each year to 52.5 kt in 2037. o Operational GHG are both from operating the tunnel and the extra traffic induced - but it's only in the tunnel, not the extra driving to get to the tunnel as well. The total for all of NSW is 131,685. The EIS says that emissions will be less because traffic is free-flowing, but this is disingenuous. Conveniently, you have not compared the increases in GHG to public transport options - which would get us far closer to Net Zero in 2050, rather than increasing them. NSW has committed to Net Zero by 2050.
In summary, the principle of building this tunnel promotes the usage of vehicles over public transport and in so maximise green house emissions which is contrary to the Paris Agreement.
How can such a project even get this far without consideration of other public transport options? Please prove to me how the plans are not contrary to the state and Federal Government's commitments to its citizens?

I live in between St. Cecilia's Primary School and Balgowlah Boys School with my 3 young children who attend St Cecilia's Primary School. 1. I am extremely concerned about the health risks posed by the traffic pollution that will come from the proposed unfiltered exhaust stack (to be located where Balglowlah Golf Course now resides). My eldest daughter has severe asthma that gets triggered by smoke or particles. She spent days in the northern beaches hospital after smoke inhalation in a critical condition. Why wouldn't the stack be filtered as mandatory? Public health should be a priority over dollars spent (and built into the business case) especially with so many local schools and young families so close by. There is inconsistency in the data used in the air quality modelling that needs to be investigated, houses next to each other situated in a valley have either no or top level emissions impact marked against them. The chart does not make sense and a more accurate investigation of pollution impact needs to be carried out. 2. The impact of the tunnel construction will be significant for 5-7 years with increased traffic flow including trucks through the local streets surrounding the construction site that are using alternative routes. This will put people and especially children in additional danger as they park and cross already busy roads close to the schools. The construction noise will continue 24 hrs 7 days a week for 5-7 years and studies have modelled the impact of the noise reaching as far as stocklands Balgowlah. This is hugely detrimental to the quality of life for a huge portion of the local population and is unacceptable. 3. The impact on the environment is devastating at a time when we need to protect it most, we will lose approx 2500 trees, lose the local golf course, threatened species such as the eastern pygmy possum and grey headed flying foxes that live in the impacted bushland will be displaced or impacted by the pollution during construction. We will lose large areas of bushland across burnt creek deviation, wakehurst parkway as well as impact to manly dam. Disturbance of toxic sludge whilst digging the tunnel and pumped out to waterways and is likely to impact wildlife more broadly across the beaches including Manly /Queenscliff lagoon and Clontarf. Swimming there could be dangerous for years to come. There are other cleaner, greener transport options available (more public transport, buses, covered cycle lane for bikes and electric bikes even). This project will also create over 700k tonnes CO2e during the construction phase and 40k t CO2e from additional vehicles using the tunnel each year once it is in use. NSW 2030 emissions reductions target already fall way short of what is required to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees. This is devastating for our future and our children's. 4. Business Case - $12 billion dollars would be far better invested in public transport, supporting the environment through carbon reduction/renewable energy, schools or healthcare. This tunnel "may" save people a few minutes (5 or 10) on their journey but most likely the traffic will back up as they get close to the city and traffic will continue to worsen as the population rises. Or people may continue to work remotely and the traffic stats for the tunnel may not justify it being built if modelled correctly. Already many buses have been cancelled through Balgowlah Heights and surrounding areas and the remaining ones are crowded. Why reduce public transport when we need more of it? Hopefully this is not being used to increase the traffic stats to justify the tunnel. Overall this $12 Billion investment for a minimal upside in travel time, leaving catastrophic impact to the environment and health of surrounding locals /schools is insanity.

My family and I are members of Northbridge Sailing Club and we are very concerned about the impact any encroachment the works will have on the waterways, especially if prolonged and/or extensive/restrictive in area. I am confident that early and meaningful engagement between the Beaches Link tunnel works program and Northbridge Sailing Club would greatly mitigate our concerns. As such, I urge the program to engage the club about the tunnel works. The extent and duration of the indicative plans could impact the viability of the club. The club provides a great healthy outdoor community sailing activities for hundreds of people each year, including old and new club members, visitors, sport and recreational weeks, learn to sail, etc. Thank you.

As a local resident and mother, I object to the huge threats that the Beaches Link and WHT pose to green space and biodiversity. The Beaches Link will negatively impact significant wildlife corridors, including Flat Rock Drive and Manly Dam bushland, and marine ecosystems at Middle Harbour and the Spit. 23 threatened species will be negatively impacted. Hundreds of other species will also lose their habitat, be cut off from bushland, or be driven away - birds,frogs, reptiles, mammals and aquatic animals. Thousands of trees are to be cut down in our local area incl beautiful Flat Rock Gully which will have massive environmental and biodiversity impacts. I am very concerned about the potential contamination of creeks and the harbour which threatens land and marine ecosystems. And the loss of green space at Cammeray Golf Club to make way for permanent utility sheds means there will be even less green space in my suburb. Green spaces have been extremely important during Covid and the area has a very low percentage available and a growing population - any impacts on green spaces in the area are likely to be significant.
I would like conditions placed on this project to guarantee Flat Rock Gully will be returned to bush land and all green spaces will be regenerated. A full assessment of wildlife and biodiversity in and around Flat Rock Gully, Middle Harbour and surrounding bushland should be conducted before moving to the next phase. Check trees for hollows across the gully area. Carry out fish and macroinvertebrate sampling in creeks and waterways. In consultation with wildlife experts, develop a full suite of mitigation measures to protect the wildlife in local bushland from noise, light and traffic in Flat Rock Gully. Undertake full bush regeneration and provide three for one tree plantings as required by the local vegetation strategy. Consideration should also be given to putting the Cammeray facilities shed underground, so that green spaces can be maintained in Cammeray.

I object to the project on the following grounds:
1. The capacity of the road tunnel is inferior to that of a mini metro (e.g. Copenhagen 12,000pphpd; Bacelona Line 9 +20,000pphpd; at similar costs to building the proposed road tunnel and can be powered by renewable energy (linear induction motor metros can also easily deal with higher inclines);
2. The road will encourage more CO2 emissions and drive global warming, which is detrimental to a future sustainable economy, biodiversity and human health (mental and physical);
3. The additional pollution and pollutants will reduce life expectancy and increase health problems of the affected population;
3. The government has been dishonest about the full impact of the project: The government has admitted that the Beaches Link will increase the population on the Northern Beaches, but refused to disclose how many residents are projected to live on the Northern Beaches by 2036. Given that many residents will not be able to afford using the road for the daily commute, I expect many people to continue travelling via the Spit and Military Road. To meet the business case I suspect that the population on the Northern Beaches, especially around Frenchs Forest would have to increase by 80,000 to 100,000 residents, which adds about 30% to the current population. If government had been transparent about these impacts, many more residents would object, because population increase in the main objection for a metro.
4. During the planning phase the government refused to disclose how many lanes wide the Wakehurst Parkway will be and rejected the figure of ten to twelve lanes in the so-called community engagement meetings. Now we find out that it will be ten lanes.
5. The proposed tunnel does not use best practice ventilation technology, e.g. filters.
6. The tunnel is not designed in accordance with the Austroads guidelines for tunnels, which recommend a maximum safe incline of 3.5%. The Beaches Link has significantly larger inclines over long distances. This will make it highly likely that a so-called high-productivity vehicle will cause accidents with multiple fatalities.
7. The business case is rumoured to include socio-economic pricing principles. A question neither confirmed nor denied by government in public meetings, so probably true.
8. The proposed solution appears to transfer profits to big corporation and costs to individuals; another example of socialising costs and privatising profits.
9. The toll-road will make it even less likely that the Northern Beaches will every receive equitable public transport within the Northern Beaches (which a metro with stations well served by local buses would achieve) and for fast, reliable and affordable journeys to and from the Sydney CBD.
10. The Beaches Link and ensuing development and widening of local road as a result of increasing traffic, will further reduce green areas, habitats for wildlife and destroy the liveability and amenity of Cammeray, Rozelle, Seaforth, North Balgowlah, Balgowlah and Manly Vale. A metro would increase population in already built up areas. Development as a result of the proposed motorway is more likely to incentivise green-field development.

I object to the Beaches Link Tunnel for numerous reasons:
1. The tunnel is not a sustainable solution to the transport issues faced by Northern Beaches residents. The tunnel has been enforced on the Northern Beaches residents without proper consideration being given to other alternative modes of public transport. The demand for the tunnel does not justify the vast expense of the project and also I do not believe that the modelling for either users of the tunnel or time saved on journeys is based on correct statistics. The tunnel also increases negative impacts on Climate Change by forcing more people into cars and will increase pollution. A viable alternative public transport option ought to be been debated and open for discussion. The tunnel does not satisfy a worthwhile cost to benefit ration. Public transport options are more sustainable and offer greater benefit to the local population. In addition parking in and around Sydney City is already very difficult/expensive/supply shortage so I’m not sure how a tunnel based on increased car usage is going to solve that problem.
2. The tunnel will increase pollution in local areas a) with increased traffic and journeys of construction vehicles and machinery b) with unfiltered ventilation shafts c) noise and vibration effects during construction d) pollution to local primary and high school both during the construction phase and after tunnel completion with increased car journeys. Again this is not sustainable and has a negative impact on Climate Change and also health outcomes in general for the local population.
3. The Beaches Link Tunnel will destroy many trees and areas of bush, particularly along Wakehurst Parkway and adjacent to Manly Dam. The tunnel will negatively impact local flora and fauna, in particular threaten several species of wildlife and aquatic life that are unique to the area. In addition the alignment of the tunnel and construction will affect groundwater and run off. Parts of the Burnt Creek in particular will be adversely affected and may threaten the waterflow. It is also predicted that this will have negative impact further afield along the water catchment and lead to pollution in run off at the Manly Lagoon and Queenscliffe.
4. We live very close to the tunnel alignment off Wakehurst Parkway and will suffer adversely from noise and vibration during the various construction phases. In addition the depth of the tunnel is now much more shallow than originally indictated. The diagrams of the number of houses/residents that are going to be affected at both tunnel portal sites and also along the alignment are very shocking. I believe that the EIS evaluation and submission phases should be extended so more residents can see how their homes may be adversely affected by the project.
5. Pollution will adversely affect major sporting venues in the area including Seaforth Oval, Balgowlah Oval, Manly Dam, Wakehurst Golf Club, Balgowlah Golf Club..causing increased pollution and also negative health impacts for local residents.
6. The tunnel will lead to a population increase in the Northern Beaches LGA with higher density developments in certain areas. I’m sure many local residents are unaware of this fact that that the modelling for the tunnel/justification for the tunnel construction is based on an significant increase in population thereby creating ‘false demand’ for the tunnel in the number of users.
7. The tunnel will no doubt incur a toll fee which means that for many journeys in and around Sydney residents can expect to be tolled numerous times during the course of a single journey. i.e. from north to south of Sydney. The cost of accumlative tolls will make using the tunnel unattractive and also negatively impacts the cost of living for resident.