Mackas Sand Project - Mod 2

I am concerned about this application to modify Mackas Sand Quarry to increase the number of truck movements from the Quarry and the impact it potentially will have on the existing road structure and traffic volume. There is also the higher risk of incidents and accidents occurring around the intersection of Lavis Lane and Nelson Bay Road which is located adjacent to both the BP Service Station and McDonalds.

Both these venues have increased traffic and pedestrians during normal weekday business as well as higher traffic and pedestrians during weekends and sessional holidays.

The higher traffic on Lavis Lane which, also serves as an approved access onto Stockton Beach, will increase the already and often congested traffic flow. The increased hazards involving the higher number of heavy vehicles on an unsealed road will potentially put lives at risk regardless of sign posted speed limits.

There is also the additional impact on the environment caused by the increased truck movements. Previous EIS in relation to Mackas Sand reveals that there has been threatened and endangered Flora and Fauna in and around the area. The additional noise, particularly the early and late traffic activity, together with the general site activity noise, will have a dramatic impact on the noternal nestings habitat and behavior patterns of those community species as already identified by UMWELT in their 2008 report. This alone will cause the activity to be operating contrary and against its own EIS report. Let alone the additional dust that will be created with the increase of heavy vehicle movements which will impact on neighbouring properties.

The roundabout at both Bobs Farm and Williamtown are already overly congested with normal morning and afternoon traffic from local residents, Newcastle Airport and the RAAF Base. These areas are already expected to become further congested with the arrival of the new RAAF Fighters and the extensions already commenced at Newcastle Airport which has seen a rise in traffic issues over the last 6 months. During this time there has been a number of minor and major motor vehicle collisions including three fatalities, one of which involved a semi-trailer.

Furthermore, there are specific regulations as to noise and the associated noise causing activities. General development consents do not permit, allow or to cause noise to be made before 7am to 7pm (general), the increased truck movements will not decrease in noise after 7pm to 10pm, therefore it could be considered that the proposed modification times as reflected in Mackas Sand Quarry application be contrary to existing law and unable to be permissible even at a local government level. After all, both the RAAF Military aircraft and Newcastle Domestic Airport have federal noise restrictions placed on them as noise curfews.

Application No: MP 08_0142 Mod 2
Location Lot 218 DP 1044608 Salt Ash, NSW
Applicant Mackas Sands Pty Ltd
Council Area Port Stephens
Consent Authority Minister for Planning

Description of proposed modification:
Increasing truck movements from Lot 218 between 5am and 10pm on weekdays and between 6am and 4pm on Saturdays

Submission

Banksia Grove Village for Over 50's, 2129 Nelson Bay Road, does not appear to rate consideration in planning processes. Planning seems to relate primarily to Salt Ash and the access road for trucks onto Nelson Bay Road. I do not discount the importance of Salt Ash. I simply require the Modification Request/Approval to increase the number of trucks thundering past, to also consider and remedy the adverse impact on Residents of Banksia Grove whose population is in excess of 300 people,
NB : Banksia Grove Village has only one (1) entry/egress and that is directly onto Nelson Bay Road.

I live at Banksia Grove Village on Nelson Bay Road. Residents of this village are already impacted by the amount of traffic using Nelson Bay Road. Current difficulty for drivers (Residents, Trades and Villagers alike) moving from the Village onto the Road is problematic, especially during peak periods, and can be dangerous especially for vehicles needing to cross traffic to head west toward Newcastle.

It is worth noting that Councillor Tingle, Port Stephens Council, and the Police inspected this entry/egress area some three (3) years ago and agreed that it is dangerous. As a consequence, this area was placed on the Port Stephens Council five (5) year forward plan. No specific action was detailed.

As you will appreciate, in an Over 50's Village, there is a wide range of abilities and needs for Village Residents. There are a significant number of Residents who experience mobility issues and do not drive. These Residents need to access the buses travelling east and west along Nelson Bay Road in order to travel to family, friends, shopping, medical appointments, touring - any number of reasons.
These Residents do not require the services of an Aged Care Facility. They simply wish to be independent, like the rest of the wider population.

Currently, Residents accessing buses travelling west to Newcastle, walk to the Village front gate, then have to walk over 100 metres along the rough edge of the roadside, to the narrowest point in the road, in order to cross two (2) lanes of fast moving traffic to reach the safety of the bus shelter on the other side.

An increase in the movement of Mackas Sands trucks, without significant remedial work, will effectively prevent Residents accessing buses. This will result in loss of Resident safety, isolation of Residents and loss in their rights to independence,
No business has the right to have such an impact on any individual or group of people

Solution and Required Remedial Works.

I note that in the Notice of Modification,
Schedule 2, 22 (b) 1.5.3, insertion
"Mackas Sands will meet all costs of designing and constructing the proposed new intersection on Nelson Bay Road including any works required to provide safe access from driveways that access Nelson Bay Road within the construction zone for the proposed new intersection"

This clause must surely also apply to the intersection at Banksia Grove village, where over 300 people need to turn onto Nelson Bay Road safely

Solution:
Mackas Sands to meet all costs of the design and construction of:
* a set of lights at Banksia Grove, for vehicles entering and leaving Nelson Bay Road and for pedestrian crossing
* lights to include not only pedestrian buttons at edge of road, but also a pedestrian refuge with pedestrian button at centre of road, to control one lane at a time - minimising delays for traffic
* Construction of footpath to both bus shelters on either side of the road
* Reduction of speed limit from 80kph to 70kph

This safety measure will vastly improve the security and safety of Banksia Grove Residents and visitors
It will also allow Mackas Sands to conduct their business without impacting the safety, security, independence and causing isolation of over 300 people living at Banksia Grove.

Thank you

Dorothy Harland

As an 80 year old woman, I wish to strongly object to any suggestion of increasing Mackas Sands trucks along Nelson Bay Road.

I frequently need to use buses to travel to family and friends, church, shopping, medical appointments and multiple other reasons. I am always fearful of crossing the road to the bus stop to travel to Newcastle. The traffic, and trucks in particular, absolutely thunder past. My slower mobility just won't allow me to hurry across this dangerous road.

I do believe there was an inspection some years ago by Port Stephens Council and the Police, the outcome being that, yes indeed, this area is very dangerous. Alas no action has been taken to remedy this dangerous situation

I also believe that Mackas Sands should be responsible for rectifying the situation by installing at a minimum, traffic lights with a pedestrian crossing at Banksia Grove Village. Lights will make life for me and the many other people in Banksia Grove Village, a lot safer and enable independence of travel.

Thank you

Anne Bailey

This submission is all about public safety, especially childrens safety, the maccas access road should never have been allowed to merge onto the narrow nelson bay stretch, the original mine lease application was for access to lavis lane, this is the only safe option,and I understand this option is still open for consideration and should be under consideration, especially in light of further mine and truck movement applications. as an example I have been monitoring truck movements for a few months and I calculated that at least 3000/3500 trucks a week from the mckenzie mine are using this section of the road and this will double if the increase is allowed, that's not counting other trucks, busses and cars,as an example while dropping my grandson at the pauls corner bus stop at 8-30am last week I counted 10 b- double sand trucks coming and going around the pauls corner roundabout in an 8 minute period and last Tuesday there were 8 sand trucks in 8 minutes, this morning, Friday from 7-45 to 7-53 am I counted 10 b-double sand trucks while kids were trying to cross to catch school and get off buses morning and afternoons and when its raining and kids are desperate to cross they take chances to get across and there will be more fatalities on top of the 2 kids already killed, this stretch of road is closed frequently due to serious and fatal accidents, I have had two cars thru my paddock fence recently with one a fatality, the other problem is the speed limit, most vehicles including trucks travel well in excess of the 80klm limit, usually 90/100 klm when accessing or leaving local driveways you take your life in your hands everytime, especially in wet or even worse, foggy conditions and at night its worse still, something has to be done about this in the interest of public safety, in my opinion this council will have blood on its hands is this situation is allowed to continue

1. Many road safety issues in extending the working hours of the quarry and therefore the truck movement of heavy vehicles.

2. Local schools and aged living nearby.

3. Dawn and dusk the most dangerous times to travel with very poor lighting and roads in this area.

4. Truck noise is an issue! Tradesmen have set times they can operate heavy machinery.

This p[proposal if allowed will lead to further congestion on Nelson Bay Road. This access from the sand mine to Nelson Bay Road should never been allowed in the first place. It is on a curve & the merging lane is far to short with heavy trucks joining the traffic flow. What is going to happen if the Bob's Farm Sand Mine is approved? More trucks along with the growing subdivision of the Nelson Bay area.. This project should have ben made to divide the current road to dual carriage way in the first place. For the Planning department to allow this the road needs to be made up to dual carriage way from the present dual section to the William Town section.
If there is a serious accident the Planning Department should held responsible & liable for any deaths or injuries.

The traffic currently on Nelson Bay Road is quite high in daytimes and even more so during holiday periods. The increase caused by additional truck movements (each 1 1/4 minutes) will exacerbate the problems with traffic movements.
The improvements at Williamtown Airport are also increasing activity and visitors to the area, along with travellers departing and arriving could, and probably will, suffer severe inconvenience due to traffic congestion.
The traffic situation is only one of the issues, the dust, exhaust and noise aspects also need to be reviewed to determine the impact on residents and persons travelling to and from Nelson Bay and the peninsula suburbs.

I object to the modifications proposed for Macka's Sand truck movements. The increase in truck movements & extended hours of operation are unacceptable on roads already rendered dangerous by increased development. An easier life for the truck drivers cannot rate against community safety, already put at risk by the trucks being driven at maniacal speed, particularly when a school & a seniors' living environment are in close proximity

I don't want to see any more sand trucks on Nelson Bay Road.
I suggest that this is purely a business decision to up the number of sand trucks, with a larger profit in mind. No thought of the neighboring properties or the increased truck traffic on the main road. I object strongly to this proposal.

I live in an over 55,s village. we have one entry and exit. The speed limit on nelson bay road is 80 at present. the bus stop to Newcastle is across nelson bay road. It is very dangerous to cross the road at any time. To increase the number of trucks on this road shows no interest in the people who live along the road. anybody who drives a car already has great difficulty getting out of the village. the noise from the trucks can be heard all day. why can,t the trucks use Richardson road? there are very few houses from the roundabout at pauls corner to the Medowie roundabout.

There are already too many trucks on our road, many failing to obey speed limits. Equally important is that the council should be acting to preserve this unique NSW coastal environment, not commercialise it.

I reside in an over 55 village with one entrance for in and out and with the speed limit at 80 it is almost imposible to cross the road there will be a disaster waiting to happen to get to the bus stop across the road for travel to newcastle, with the increase of trucks . it is very difficult to drive out onto the road from the village as of now let alone more trucks and the noise can be heard loudly from these trucks all day and surely will increase .
Why not use Richardson road where there are very few homes from Pauls corner to Medowie if we must have more trucks on the roads .

I reside in an over 55's Village and find it increasingly difficult to
access Nelson Bay Road from our driveway, to travel to either Nelson Bay and/or Newcastle.
This problem has been caused due to increased movement of B/Double and other trucks using Nelson Bay Road to cart sand from sand mining facilities in the area.
It is noted that there is an application from one of the sand mining operators to increase truck movements on Nelson Bay Road. I can't understand the logic in this because already we have a major problem; and I believe there will be a very bad motor vehicle accident in the area in the very near future, due to excessive vehicle movement.

i am 89 years old and have to rely on publc transport to get to my doctors so need to catch the newcastle bus which is on the opposite side of the road to the village that i live in. the road is so busy now with the speed limit of 80 it is almost impossible to cross the road safely now so will be impossible with more trucks being allowed to use nelson bay road .. could there be an alternative route if you must allow maccas sand to put on more trucks.

I wish to submit that, from a safety point of view, vehicular and pedestrian access in an out of Banksia Grove is a real concern. What can be put in place to ensure the safety of people entering and leaving Banksia Grove?

My concern is safety being at the forefront of this proposal. There is a lot of traffic on Nelson Bay Road, and for people to come in and out of Banksia Grove is very dangerous. People need to catch buses and drive in and out constantly and it is very dangerous without even more trucks.

There are significant safety concerns with people going in and out of Banksia Grove. There are a lot of elderly residents who need buses, and there is no safe way to cross the road as it currently is, without adding even more trucks.

There are lots of safety concerns. One story I heard - to come back from, for example, Salamander bay, instead of getting off at the bus stop across from Banksia Grove, one lady gets off at the airport, then catches another bus, just so she can get off the bus on the right side of the road. This adds at least 30 minutes to her trip. It is dangerous enough without more trucks.

I need to use public transport. There was 14 trucks in 5 minutes, and there wasn't room between the trucks to put a car. They are too fast for elderly people to cross the road. I would like to see lights and infrastructure to assist with crossing the road from Banksia Grove.

I am a car driver, and I help look after an elderly lady here who gets a bus. Even going out in a car is difficult. A car even nearly swiped me. I would love to see a pedestrian island or lights, and a lot more people would use buses if it was possible. The speed should also be reduced. This road is frightening. Accessibility has gotten worse over the past 20 years.