Myuna Coal Mine (MOD 2) - Road transport

Please see attached Hunter Community Environment Centre objection

I strongly object to this project. The thought of dozens of coal trucks using an already busy Wangi Road is terrifying. As a longtime resident of Fishing Point, I am aware of many accidents over the years at intersections along this road. I use the roundabout at the intersection of Wangi Road and Dorrington Road. Traffic comes often at great speed down the hill approaching this roundabout, heading north towards Toronto. The speed limit is 80km/hour but they are often going faster than this. Merging from this roundabout onto Wangi Road is often fraught. Adding heavily laden coal trucks to this scenario would be downright dangerous. The intersections of Donnelly Road and Buttaba Hills Road with Wangi Road are even worse, with limited turning opportunities. Creating a new intersection for coal trucks where the old Wangi Point Road meets Wangi Road will add even more to the danger of this road. Vehicles heading south and going downhill at speed towards this proposed intersection will not stop in time to avoid a slowly moving laden coal truck turning out of this intersection. A recipe for disaster. Vehicles heading north along Wangi Road come at speed around a curve in the road towards this proposed intersection. Again, a recipe for disaster.
It is my understanding that a conveyor system already exists which transports coal from Myuna Colliery to Eraring Power Station. It is also my understanding that coal mixing is already able to be performed at Eraring Power Station. If this infrastructure exists then it should continue to be used.
The use of public roads to transport one million tones of coal per year from Myuna Colliery is dangerous, unnecessary and undesirable to our community. To put it plainly, people will die if this proposal is approved.

Submission to the Modification Applications for Northern Coal Logistics Hub (SSD-5145 Mod 2 and Myuna Colliery (MP10_0080-Mod-2)

I am making this submission to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in response to the proposed modification applications for the Northern Coal Logistics Hub and Centennial Myuna.

1. Road Topography
Wangi Road is bendy and hilly, particularly in the proposed modification zone (Figs 1-4). Sight distance can be short particularly in bad weather.
A fully laden haul truck will need to make a right hand turn from Wangi Point Road, without a merge lane, with approximately 280 metres before the incline which is on a bend. This will be a traffic hazard, especially in wet weather. This is not safe for on coming northbound and southbound traffic, nor for drivers of the trucks.

2. Road Access.
The increased truck movements will generate up to 352 truck movements per day. This road is well used by locals. The suburbs of Rathmines, Fishing Point, Balmoral, Buttaba, Arcadia Vale and Wangi Wangi, suburbs of more than 9000 people, are dependent on Wangi Road for access. The Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) does not appear to appreciate or acknowledge the importance of this road to local communities since there is no Social Impact Assessment undertaken.
Summerhill Road is an important intersection. Summerhill Road is one of two direct routes from Wangi Road to Wangi. The report, underestimates the current importance of the Wangi Point Road intersection, which it is used as unofficial turning bay for motorists.

There are three public schools in the area, Rathmines, Arcadia Vale and Wangi Wangi. Both Rathmines and Wangi Wangi have small shopping villages and playing fields. Parents and carers use Wangi Road access to retail and other services in the Toronto and Morisset townships. There is a public transport bus service that uses the road and two independent schools, north of the modification proposal. Residents from the south and north of the proposed modification use Wangi Road for work, family and recreational pursuits.
Rathmines and Wangi Wangi are also important to west Lake Macquarie’s tourist industry.
Buttaba’s population is likely to increase substantially as it has a subdivision pending. Please see Lake Macquarie City Council’s website. https://shape.lakemac.com.au/buttaba-paper.
The west side of Lake Macquarie is growing in its population with new subdivisions being approved in Teralba, Fassifern, Morisset and Cooranbong, with Wangi Road again being emphasised as a main route down the western side of the Lake.
Wangi Road also functions as an alternate route when the M1 is blocked by traffic or accidents.
A turn lane is absolutely required as a minimum.

3. Road Pollution.
Up to 352 truck movements per day generating diesel exhaust- a human carcinogen.
Locals complain now about the amount of coal and coal dust coming from coal trucks- full and empty- now. Even with covers coal and dust escape especially going around bends and corners. More coal trucks will just add to the problem.

4. Cycling danger.
Local residents want to see an increase in safe cycling. The intersection of Donnelly and Wangi Roads has a green safety marked on road cycle lane (Fig 5 and there is signage on the north bound carriage way going up the hill from Wangi Creek.(Fig 6) The proposed high frequency movements of large trucks during the day-time of operational hours would compromise even the most competent of cyclists using these roads for transport. Lake Macquarie City Council is aiming to increase active transport and improve cycling safety.

5. Wildlife safety.
Locals value the wildlife in this area. Wangi and Wilton Roads are surrounded by bushland. A significant portion borders the proposed Awaba Conservation Area. High volumes of heavy vehicle road traffic could result in a significant increase of road kill, particularly during the early and later hours of coal truck operation.

6. Stakeholder engagement.
Stakeholder engagement appears to be very limited. A Social Impact Assessment was not undertaken. Feedback from the original communication by Mandalong and Newstan/Awaba Community Consultative Committees of the pending proposal before lodgement was not acknowledged in the modification report. The Newstan/Awaba Community Consultative Committee was not informed of the modification report lodgement. Notice of lodgement came via the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

A Better Option Than Trucks
Could the the existing overland electric driven conveyer belts from Myuna and Cooranbong be modified and used to transport coal to the Cooranbong Entry Site for blending? Can there be an examination of this as a serious option?
This would keep the diesel trucks off the road and ensure the safety of residents, commuters, cyclists and wildlife.
Blending coal in order to make it ‘clean’ enough to burn hints at the existing problems with burning coal in the area. Decades of supplying, burning and dumping of coal ash waste to produce electric power has taken a toll on the local environment and health. There is an urgent need for a plan to quickly transition to clean renewables for power and an urgent need for a realistic rehabilitation plan to clean up the mess.

Yours sincerely
Kim Grierson

I object to the proposal to transport coal from the Myuna Colliery to Awaba via Wangi Road and Wilton Road. I believe this proposal would have an unacceptable impact on traffic flow and safety along the roads concerned, and also create additional industrial noise for the local community. Wangi Road is a very busy thoroughfare, particularly at morning and afternoon peak times, and it is difficult to see the heavy trucks involved in this project being able to attain the prevailing speed limits (currently 80kph and 90kph) - especially as the roads involve some significant gradients. In their attempt to keep up with traffic flow on these hilly sections, the trucks are likely to create significant additional engine and braking noise, and will also create a particular hazard to other road users as they turn at Wangi Point Road, where the speed limit is 90kph.

Please see attached response