SUBMISSION TO M5 EIS

Name ......Richie MAR YOUNG and family..........................................................................................
Full address ...277 Belmont St Alexandria NSW 2015.............................................................................................

I strongly object to the proposed New M5.

The roads around the St Peters interchange are already at an unacceptable Level of Service and are getting worse because of in-fill developments not allowed for by the EIS:
* Green Square: 61,000 residents
* Ashmore: 6,000 residents
* Waterloo Estate: 30,000 residents
* Central 2 Eveleigh: 56,000 residents, 25,000 workers

With an extra 150,000 people in an area of a few square kilometres, this is going to be the most densely populated area in Australia.

There is no evidence that the traffic models have factored in this huge increase in density that will occur in the area.

The EIS clearly demonstrates that the traffic on roads in the Alexandria area will deteriorate as a result of WestConnex. But it also predicts that Level of Service will improve at many intersections even if nothing is done - in the case of Euston Rd/Sydney Park Rd, from D to A, in the PM peak. This is clearly wrong - so wrong that it suggests that the traffic modelling is broken (the EIS does acknowledge that "modelling is probably optimistic") and it suggests that the level of service on local roads will be several levels worse than predicted, either with or without the project.

According to the business case, Euston Road is supposed to handle 61,000 cars on 3 lanes each way. This is almost 10 times what it can handle on 2 lanes. There is no way it can handle 61,000 cars, however many lanes are added to it. Adding extra lanes to Euston will not help because the roads that Euston Road feeds are also gridlocked. Traffic does not simply dissipate once it leaves the M5. It will only increase the damage done to the area and cause rat-running.

Meanwhile, usage of the M5 is not growing, and has not grown for some years. This project only makes an existing road more expensive for commuters. It will save little time, if any, and at an exorbitant price. As the EIS acknowledges, the tolls are going to force drivers off the M5 and onto local roads, and no wonder. The Updated Strategic Business Case shows that for almost all of its users, the Value of Time saved is less than the cost of using WestConnex.

This project will carve 11,000 square metres from Sydney Park and expose the rest of the park to vehicle fumes and noise. This damage is particularly felt, because this area already has one the lowest amounts of public open space per person in Australia, even without considering the future in-fill projects that are already in progress.

Alexandria residents are already exposed to levels of PM2.5 particles that exceed national guidelines, yet the EIS predicts that these levels will only worsen.

The new M5 is an unfair waste of taxpayers' money that could be better used elsewhere, such as on projects that improve transport infrastructure out west or in the regions, or in our area to help us cope with the massive rise in density that we are facing over the next ten years.

Finally, I strongly object to the quality of the EIS. There is too little information on the traffic volumes that will occur in Alexandria, and there is also conflicting information on possible mitigation strategies. Although the diagrams in the EIS show right-hand turn lanes in all four directions at the Sydney Park Road/Euston Road intersection, the text of "New M5 EIS Vol 2B App G Traffic and Transport" instead indicates that there will be a "banned right turn from Mitchell Road into Sydney Park Road [because of] the banned right turn southbound at the Sydney Park Road / Euston Road intersection". The text also indicates that there will be a "north-bound lane [which] will go as far as Maddox Street, where it becomes a new left-hand turn lane", but the diagrams do not show this. Not having clarity on which of these two scenarios is planned makes informed consultation impossible. If these right-hand turns into Sydney Park Road are not permitted, there will be enormous volumes of traffic on local roads as drivers try to rat run. Likewise, the extra left-hand turn lane, if it is actually planned, seems destined to drive traffic onto local roads.

Roads, especially tunnels, are expensive, and move relatively few people - perhaps 2,000 vehicles per hour per lane. This is a fraction of what can be moved by heavy rail, or light rail, or bicycles. Even pedestrians can move more commuters per lane than can be moved by car.

The EIS business case says that with toll roads, "losses to investors [are typical] due to traffic demand forecast being overly optimistic. This has led to a situation where it is likely the private sector sponsors will be unwilling [and the NSW Government is likely to have] to take on all or part of the development and start up traffic risk". Why does the NSW government think that WestConnex can be profitable when the private sector does not?

I call for the M5 EIS not to proceed. As a NSW taxpayer, I want better value for money.

I have not made a reportable political donation.

I am oposing to WestConnex as it will destroy authentic village atmosphere of St Petrs which we ned to value and respect because litte by little with all this megalomaniac modern monstrocities we will be left with no human scale environment. WestConnex will bring more cars, noise and polution into a quiet inner west suburb which we should presevre for our comfort and for future generations. I am oposing big freeways and am in favour of efficient public transport. I myself prefer good public transport rather than a car. I am now driving to work, not far , and find it distressing and quite isolated sitting in my car by myself. When I was traveling by public transport i was able to read on a train, meet people, exchange a word or two with someone. So I am strongly oposing noisy, dusty freeways. I can see artists impression of Parramatta road showing multiple lines of cars and pedestrian footpath next to it. Who's gonna walk there next to thousands of cars driving past. As an example I can mention South Dowling Street where the pedestrian path goes along the bussy road at higher level. I often go bike riding from Alexandria to Centennial Park and am always avoiding going that way because of noise and unpleasant sight of a busy road with 3 lanes in each direction. This is not for humans. Therefore abandon WestConnex and provide better public transport infrastructure.

To whom it may concern,

I strongly object to the WestConnex St Peters Interchange and the widening of Euston Road to 7 lanes.

I am absolutely appalled and shocked that anyone would propose that this area is both suitable and able to manage such an increase in traffic flow. This area is home to a diverse range of residents from young professionals to the elderly and many families with young children. The area thrives from it's community atmosphere and safe environment. The proposal to turn this area into a 'spaghetti junction' and 7 lane road will destroy this area and put the safety and health of all it's residents in jeopardy.

I am a resident of 125 Euston Road and WestConnex threatens to widen the road outside our building to 7 lanes. This will mean that there will be no buffer between our front doors and a 7 lane road. How are residents supposed to sleep and function effectively? How are we supposed to cope with the health implications of additional pollution? Our 6 year old suffers from asthma and if this hideous project is permitted to go ahead, his health will undoubtedly be affected and this is just one example of the awful implications on our residents.

During a recent visit to a WestConnex information pop up shop, my husband was informed that there would not be any sound proofing offered for our building as there would not be sufficient room for it. If there is no room for a sound proof barrier then surely this indicates that the road is far too close to the building? I cannot comprehend how it is remotely justifiable to widen this road, destroy this wonderful area and put the lives of residents into such disarray.

My husband and I have worked incredibly hard and invested in the workforce to get ourselves into the position of being able to buy property and raise two young children in this area. The reward for doing so is to live under the threat of having a 7 lane road on our doorstep, the quaility of our lives destroyed and the value of our home dramatically reduced.

The widening of Euston Road threatens to bring with it a huge increase in traffic yet further up the road it will return to only 2 lanes each way. So where will the additional traffic end up? Cars will inevitably avoid congestion by using the residential streets of Belmont, Lawrence and their respective lanes. This will further decrease living standards in the area and put the lives of residents in danger with increased traffic flow and speeding vehicles.

I would personally like to invite you to my home so you can witness for yourself the devastating impact that this proposal will have on both residents in the area and the local environment.

I look forward to hearing a response from you.

Kate McLaren
Unit 21/125 Euston Road
Alexandria

AIR POLLUTION will increase the more vehicles are on the road no matter what pollution reducing technology is on the vehicle.

A new report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, called The Cost of Air Pollution: Health Impacts of Road Transport, shows Australia has failed to halt the dangerous rise in air pollution. It estimates the economic cost of that failure has run into the billions.

Therefore our governments should be doing their best to reduce air and water pollution (road runoff).

Just another reason of billions of reasons why I object to the WestConnex.

To the Director, Major Planning Assessments, Department of Planning

I write to convey my absolute objection to the WestConnex New M5 motorway proposal.

Global experience of major toll road construction has demonstrated conclusively that these projects are massively expensive and counter-productive, in fact many major cities including San Francisco, Seoul, Portland, Milwaukee, Madrid and Seattle have decommissioned and removed such systems.

WestConnex will concentrate and increase air pollution, encourage more car use and does not reflect the actual carrying capacity of roads to which this project will be linked. At a 2015 Public Information Pop-up, one of the Project's own traffic planners openly admitted to me that congestion will worsen on a number of existing feeder-roads.

There has been no genuine indication as to how this project can be a long-term solution to Sydney's congestion problem and lacks evidence that economically and environmentally favourable alternatives have been investigated. Further, it commits Sydney-siders to decades more of private vehicle-based movement at a time when many large cities in other parts of the world are establishing innovative and highly efficient public transport systems; these include Seoul, Singapore, Munich, Tokyo, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Zurich, Berlin and New York.

That the State Government has already signed multi-billion dollar contracts for WestConnex before this EIS was even placed on public exhibition is appalling, improper and destroys any confidence that due process has occurred. The lack of genuine community consultation is sinister at best, and brings in to question the credibility of the State and Federal Governments.

This EIS considers benefits for all stages of the project but doesn't address the negative impacts along the whole route.

I object to this proposal because:

The New M5 will have devastating impacts on our local communities, local economies and local amenities; none of which have been appropriately valued.

The New M5 will be a massive contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and destroy important habitat, treasured green-space and public amenity. All this, at a time when Australia must be reducing its emissions and should be strengthening environmentally sustainable practices.

WestConnex and the New M5 does not have a tangible financial bottom-line, with total costs continuing to spiral upwards without clear evidence of financial viability.

The WestConnex project, including the New M5, lacks public transparency, accountability and is insidiously moving forward to next-step without due rigor and proper completion of preceding stages.

The WestConnex project comes with no real evaluation of alternative options such as world class public transport.

The WestConnex project does not explain how the existing congested roads, to which it will link, can carry resultant increases in traffic flow.

I do not want my tax dollars to fund the WestConnex project.

I agree that I have not donated more than $1000 to any political party, elected member, group or candidate within this financial year.
I agree to the NSW Planning Department publishing my submission on their website, including any personal details it contains.

KING STREET
Our iconic street, King St, which supports massive employment will be threatened by large volumes of traffic. AS such it will increase pressure on removing clearways which will see King St's vibrancy die.
Just one of many reasons to object to the WestConnex.

A DANGEROUS INTERCHANGE - ST PETERS

The planned St peters spaghetti interchange will be critically confusing for drivers trying to get into correct lanes prior to ejecting from the toll road. Knowing the behaviour of drivers it won't be long before there are serious accidents on the interchange which will cause huge delays (so it wont be any different from now). Not only that the road/s rises and curves meaning drivers MUST be fully alert to the driving conditions (eyes on the road). Some drivers will also be afraid of such heights. The EIS does not explain how it will overcome bad driver behaviour to combat scenarios like these.
Therefore it will be risky for many drivers and a failure.

Just another of many hundreds of reasons not to support the WestConnex

I write to express my strong objection to the WestConnex New M5 motorway proposal.

I object to this proposal for many reasons but most importantly because WestConnex and the New M5 is a financial black hole that won't solve Sydney's traffic congestion it it will come at a very high cost in terms of public funds, destruction of environment and community and personal suffering to residents whose homes are being compulsorily acquired (and to make matters worse they are not being offered equitable prices for their homes and will be unable to find new homes in the area.)

The impact of the New M5 on the largest green space in the inner west, Sydney Park is critical. My children have spent many hours playing AFL in this park and my dogs have enjoyed the off-leash areas. Sydney residents will lose a significant portion of this park and what remains will be adversely effected by air pollution (especially an increase in tiny particulate matter) as well as sight and noise pollution as there will be tunnels, ramps, ventilation stacks and multi lane roads with fast moving traffic, right alongside the park. According to a recent ABC health report, the high hazard zone for health is considered to be 150 metres either side of busy roads - particularly within 50 metres.

The WestConnex tollroad has blown out from an initial projected coast of $10billion to $16.8 billion and climbing. It will increase air pollution and encourage more car use, quickly filling the increased road capacity. It is not a long-term solution to Sydney's traffic congestion problem and as the most expensive transport infrastructure project in NSW, it does not address key community demands for efficient, inexpensive and world class public transport options. Rather it locks Sydney commuters into car dependency and use of privatised toll roads and for decades to come while sucking funds from public transport developments.

There are serious concerns about the way the WestConnex project has been developed and progressed regarding the lack of good governance, oversight and economic rationale for this major infrastructure project. The lack of transparency around the project has been made worse by moving the management to a newly created private corporation, the Sydney Motorway Corporation, which will further obscure information about the project.

Submitters did not have the complete information on the project on which they could base their submissions at the commencement of the M4 East EIS exhibition period. The M4 East and other stages cannot be considered separately from the WestConnex project as a whole. And there has never been an opportunity to comment on the WestConnex business case.

It is all completely unacceptable. Please see sense and halt this project now.

COST

The cost of the WestConnex keeps increasing. The updated business case says it will cost $16.8 billion which is up from $14.8 billion and up further from an original estimate of $10 billion and this doesn't even include the cost of any additional stages. So its obvious the costs will keep rising draining money from us, the public and also from real transport solutions for Sydney and also the state of NSW.

It is a very selfish, chest beating, bullying move by the NSW Govt to gift public money to big business at the expense of the little people who will always pay.

Just billions or more reasons why I oppose the WestConnex

TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE WESTCONNEX TO ALLOW T TO ROGRESS

I ask that the Dept of planning thoroughly scrutinise this project. It is clear that from its lack of transparency it is not appropriate in this day and age particularly as it predicts from ill thought out traffic figures that it will induce more cars onto the roads than there are now. That is insane. We don't need more cars on the roads. The resulting pollution will be astounding. Just this last Thursday (21/1) there was a
pollution haze over the city (not a heat haze). The unfiltered emissions stacks will be close to playing fields, schools and homes (how irresponsible is that?). We will lose a critically endangered forest and likely lose the green and golden bell frog population at the Kogarah Golf course. This is not a responsible project. It will do nothing to solve travelling times. It will however, make people avoid the tolls and travel on local roads causing the immediate suburbs to suffer severe congestion. There are so many more reasons everything about this project needs to be questioned. Someone in authority need to step up before its too late.
Just many more reasons not to support the WestConnex