I am totally against the Beaches Link Tunnel. However, this State Government will probably force it through.
My major objection is the non-filtration of the exhaust stacks and the loss of the wonderful green space that is Balgowlah Golf Course.
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?

Conor Merrigan
Serpentine Crescent
North Balgowlah 2093

Hello,
As a Seaforth local and father for 2 young children (ages 7 & 4) I object to the Northern Beaches Tunnel for the following reasons:
- 7+ years of construction traffic in the local area will cause severe stress and mental health issues for thousands of locals
- Having 2 asthmatic family members, I have significant concerns about the dust and pollution that will be created during the 7+ years of construction
- More tunnels, highways and freeways do not actually reduce traffic. This has been proven time and time again
- The devastation to local flora and fauna is unacceptable
- Burnt Bridge creek will be destroyed, removing a natural legacy for the area and generations to come
- The tunnel will cause massive disruption to the local schools and students. This will create an unhealthy and unproductive learning environment for many students in the area.
- The tunnel will not provide a viable public transport solution for the area and at a cost of more than $10B, that is not acceptable
Thank you.
Dean LP

I have a son in year 8 at Balgowlah Boys school and I’m very concerned about the potential impacts of the building work on my son’s health and study, in particular from the dust, fine airborne particles, vibration and noise. I trust that you will put in place measures to protect all local residents, including the students at the school, and be completely transparent about any risks and mitigation required should one of those risks eventuate. Prevention of damage to public health must be one of the key considerations throughout the project. Thank you

I’m greatly concerned about the local area of Northbridge, Willoughby and Flat Rock Gully including Northbridge Sailing Club’s sailing area being immensely compromised. All our sailing courses will be affected by the maritime exclusion zones between Seaforth Bluff and Clive Park associated with the submerged tunnel works across Middle Harbour, and the temporary re-location of yacht moorings into a zone northwest of Seaforth Bluff.

NSC is a significant part of my life. I love sailing, and the works will mean sailing at NSC will become more difficult, less attractive, and even potentially completely infeasible. NSC is a jewel of a club, with an amazing history and a strong community ethos, helping people like myself to sail, a sport which is of particular importance in these Covid-19 affected times, being inherently a socially-distanced, outdoor pursuit that greatly assists with the collective mental health of the community (even in non-Covid times).

The impact on our club and community will be profound. With the sailing degraded we may lose members or be less able to attract new members, which affects the club’s viability. We depend on volunteers for our maintenance and improvements; if membership drops then there is simply less of a critical mass to regenerate the club following the Beaches Link construction.

We request TfNSW minimize the impact of maritime restrictions by urgently consulting in good faith with Northbridge Sailing Club, to help assist in retaining and regaining NSC’s attractiveness/viability.
Flat Rock Gully also holds important recreational, historical and aboriginal heritage. If this area was impacted by the tunnel works, the greater community, not to mention flora and fauna and the local waterways would be greatly impacted. Irrepairable damage would be made to the environment, is a tunnel which just increases the use of traffic and pollution really worth all this destruction? Please consider the consequences for very little reward. Money should be spent on increasing public transport, bicycle paths and anything except this expensive disaster of a tunnel.

Yours sincerely,
Francoise Ballard
Mother of 2 and resident of Willoughby council since 2004

I strongly object to Northern Beaches Tunnel for a number of reasons :-
1. The local environment is already under duress because of all the building work that has happened over the last 8 years or so and the wildlife is being decimated. The building work and eventual footprint that the tunnel and associated work and road changes will cause even more devastation to the wildlife and it's environment. Manly Dam would bear the brunt of all the run off. There is no need for the Wakehurst Parkway to have extra lanes.
2. The fact that the stacks will not be filtered is irresponsible and is not taking into account the effect that the noxious fumes will have for anyone with respiratory issues. Young kids will also be severely affected as they run about and breath faster and deeper than adults. Kids often have asthma and the fumes will increase this.
3. In Europe, they are stopping the production of diesel vehicles due to the harmful particulates that are emitted from the exhaust pipes. Also, Europe does not sell the petrol that is sold at the bowsers in Australia as it does not comply to their current standards. The statement that the emissions are within government levels does not mean they are safe and have been proven to be unsafe in Europe and other countries in the world.
4. The placing of the slip road to the tunnel outside of Balgowlah Boys school, where, many cars will sit idling while waiting to turn, will have a detrimental effect on the boys at the school. The toxins in the exhaust fumes will fall on the school grounds and the poisonous particulate matter from the diesel will be easily breathed in.
5. The hospital roadworks have provided a solution for cars traveling along Warringah Road using the underpass, but all routes around the underpass are as congested as they were before. If the tunnel is built, more traffic will be drawn into the area and the congestion will get worse, especially when the lights are sequenced to give priority the tunnel traffic.
6. Sydney buses has recently made changes which has reduced many buses that were frequently used and that, in itself has forced people back into their cars and added to the gridlock. We need some of those buses back, especially the 169.
7. Recently, approval has been given to build a massive Bunnings on the corner of Warringah Rd and Allambie Rd. This would be a major pinch point with construction work impacting with the traffic trying to get around the Warringah Rd congestion and onto the Wakehurst Parkway or down Allambie Rd. There is already a major increase in cars in the back streets of Beacon Hill trying to bypass all the traffic queues/lights and this will only get worse.
8. Many people are still working from home and the volume of traffic is nowhere near what it was before Covid, yet, gridlock regularly occurs. If everyone goes back and the tunnel is built, locals will be stuck in the middle, just trying to move about locally.
9. I do not understand where all the traffic coming through the tunnel will go. Less people travel by car into the city and more people are working at other campuses, which, for the most part, do not have adequate parking facilities for their existing staff.
10. As with all the other tunnels/toll roads built before, people love them when they are free, but leave as soon as they have to pay. Will people be forced into them like they were in the city ?
11. Finally, if it does have to go ahead, can we have it built by an Australian company using Australian workers and not by a foreign entity ? There was a rumour that the hospital road works were deliberately slow at the start so it fell behind and then they had to work overtime and get paid overtime rates. It seemed to fit with the progress.

As you can read, I have my reasons for not wanting the tunnel to proceed. However, the health of the people and the devastation to the environment are my main reasons for my objection.

Thank you.

We live in Audrey Street, Balgowlah with St Cecelia School and Balgowlah Boys High school at either end of our narrow one block Street and one short block from the proposed Golf Course building site. The unfiltered stack has been moved closer to these schools and another 4 schools are in close proximity. It is outrageous that the NSW Government disregards the health of these children and the many children living in the surrounding area. The entry point proposed at the corner of Sydney Road and Maretimo Street fails to consider the BoysHigh School, the parking issues that already exist in the surrounding narrow streets, and the existing peak hour rat run of the area, but particularly Audrey Street and Ethel Street. The local green areas of Burnt Bridge Creek, Manly Dam near Judith Street, Flat Rock Gully, Tunks Park, Middle Harbour will be ruined and the Harbour polluted from the Tinks Park old tip. The cost will exceed estimates, it will not be built in the time frame and will be obsolete by the time it is finished as it will not cope with the increase in traffic. The experts at numerous meetings have all said that we need an underground train to cope with the proposed increase in population. STOP PUTTING MORE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD AND BUILD AN UNDERGROUND TRAIN SYSTEM.

We object and ask for mitigation on the following:
* Dust and pollution from the tunnelling dive site which is operating 24/7 at Flat Rock Gully – real time/alert style air quality monitors should be installed at Willoughby Leisure Centre where many children play sport. The dive site is an historical tip and there is contaminated soil and sandstone including dust taken out by over 500 trucks each day that could become airborne. We want to make sure that our children are not breathing these particles.
* More testing to be undertaken to determine the extent of contamination at the tip site at Flat Rock Gully and take appropriate action depending on the contaminants.
* That contaminated soil from the tunnelling site not be stored or retained onsite at Flat Rock Gully, which at this stage is the plan. If it is contaminated it needs to be removed from the site so that it doesn’t become airborne or leach into the soil and into Flat Rock Creek.
* Dredging at Middle Harbour off Clive Point - once again there are high level contamination of lead and zinc just under the sea bed, these will be exposed during the dredging for the immersed twin tunnels and the construction of the coffer dams. We ask that silt curtains go all the way to the sea bed, rather than just part way. There should also be continuous water quality testing for contaminants around Northbridge Baths and the Northbridge sailing club.
* Bushland will be removed for the construction of the acoustic sheds in Flat Rock Gully. However there is no guarantee this will be returned to bushland. Given the EIS states that temporary rather than permanent loss of bushland is required during the tunnel’s construction phase, then permanent loss of bushland should not be considered as part of the EIS - i.e. that option should be removed from the EIS. Authority to determine whether a portion of bushland reserve is permanently lost should not be delegated to local Council, as that decision impacts the broader community and future generations, not just Willoughby Council’s current constituents. Given permanent loss of bushland is of state rather than local significance, it should be considered on its merits alone and not form part of an infrastructure project that does not require permanent loss of bushland.
* Traffic on Flat Rock Drive and Sailors bay Rd / Strathallen St is already at peak capacity during peak hour. Continuous heavy trucks carrying spoil entering and exiting Flat Rock Drive from 7am to 7pm causing disruption to traffic flow and hence increased traffic on Sailors Bay Road as a result.
* 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.
* Flat Rock Gully is a key part of the network of wildlife corridors across Sydney required to maintain biodiversity - around 6.77 hectares (over 16 acres) of bushland will be flattened for the construction footprint (EIS Chapt. 19, p.19.9) at Flat Rock Gully.
* Over 390 trees are targeted for potential destruction at Flat Rock Gully – only two-thirds will be replaced. Willoughby City Council (WCC) tree policy requires that 3 trees be replaced for each removal (WCC, Vegetation Management Strategy 2020). Local tree policies are required by the NSW Government to reflect the needs of different areas for tree canopy and wildlife habitat. These should not be then overridden by the NSW State Government.
* The bushland at Flat Rock Gully has been targeted for destruction on the basis that it is ‘only’ regenerated bush. This regeneration is the result of 25 years of work by WCC and bush care volunteers. The plantings were all propagated from local indigenous plants. Wildlife doesn’t discriminate between regenerated and remnant indigenous trees and bushland
* Biodiversity is poorly scoped in the EIS. The bulk of the biodiversity assessment concentrates and comments on 23 threatened species only. It side-steps the many hundreds of species which will lose their habitat, be driven away or bulldozed under including a wide range of bird species, frogs, reptiles, mammals and aquatic animals.
* A full study of wildlife has not been carried out in Flat Rock Gully, Middle Harbour and nearby bushland. Desktop assessments and a few walk-throughs are inadequate to reveal its full biodiversity.
* The proposed mitigation measures to protect wildlife during construction are weak. Checking that no animals are in the way 24 hours before construction or having people ‘spot’ them from barges and remove them during construction seems doomed to failure as it will not be the main focus or within the expertise of most constructors.

We ask for the following:
* Carry out full assessment of biodiversity in and around the area to be destroyed in Flat Rock Gully. 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. Undertake three for one tree planting as required by the local vegetation strategy.
Rather than apply biodiversity offsets to areas far distant, apply them instead to the work of weeding and regenerating and installing nest boxes in Flat Rock Gully and Tunks Park beyond the construction footprint.
* Ensure all landfill exposed by tunnelling capped at end of tunnelling and reinstate crush sandstone as contoured base for re-establishment of locally indigenous vegetation and habitat. Remove all temporary structures (including noise mitigation sheds).
* Engage consultant (independent of contractors) to measure water quality in the creek before, during and after construction to check for scouring, contamination from the site and elevated salinity and sediment levels. Make this information publicly available.
Include clear strategies in the EIS to counteract the release of contaminants into Middle Harbour following storms or due to silt curtain damage.
If the proposal is approved it is vital that, at the end of the project, the construction site in Flat Rock Gully is restored to bushland consistent with the Environmental Conservation zoning of the site and in accordance with the local Urban Bushland Plan of Management and the Flat Rock Gully Reserve Action Plan.

I strongly object to the construction of the Beaches Link Tunnel and if it goes ahead will not be using it. The northern beaches people already pay enough tolls, probably more than any other person in Sydney, we have no choice to avoid tolls if we drive to the south side of Sydney or beyond. I would rather drive through Mosman and add 15 minutes to my journey than use this proposed toll tunnel. The added cost of this tunnel to the already harbour tunnel/bridge toll and the eastern distributer toll tunnel is ridiculous.

This tunnel is not the solution to traffic build up, going into and out of the Northern Beaches. Your studies have shown only a 10% improvement in traffic congestion, when you add the large residential developments, that will follow this proposed tunnel, the traffic will be back into congestion mode once again, and the proposed toll tunnel deemed useless for the extra 5 - 10mins it may save.

If you go ahead with this project it will have a negative effect on our unique wildlife corridors, marine ecosystems, and indigenous cultural heritage, whilst also impacting 23 endangered species. Construction of this tunnel will have huge impacts on fauna, flora and local streams, which may not recover and become extinct. These proposed areas are rich in biodiversity which should be protected not impacted for future development gain. Human health will suffer -particularly asthmatics, 100s of mature trees that could have helped with these fumes will be cut down.

Where is the government’s conscious when it comes to destroying what makes Sydney so unique. How many cities around the world have such a rich biodiversity so close to the CBDs? We should be protecting these areas, not destroying them. This is one of the reasons why tourism thrives in Sydney and you, the government are hell bent in destroying it.

The proposed project shows the Australian people that the local and state governments are not interested in keeping the amazing unique environments intact but only interested in going forward with wildlife and biodiversity extinction in Sydney, and on the Northern Beaches, all for greedy development future gain.

I OBJECT TO THE NORTHERN BEACHES TUNNEL.
There are many reasons, however I will start with the area....
We need more OPEN SPACE. As the pandemic changes the habits in our lives, I have a problem finding a place with the freedom of space., where people are not breathing heavily on me as they run and others who are not distancing. The golf course provides this, the oval provides this ... we do not need more ovals to make more congestion in this small area please. I have lived in London and have used the Commons in their local areas, you may like to research and make a comparison.
There is no where close to my house, as in the future I will be unable to drive futher out.
This plan will tamper with Burnt bridge Creek, connected with the Fauna and Flora in the local area.
Are you aware there are 3 schools adjacent to this tunnel.... Do your children attend the pre school or Bally Boys High? I bet not,,,, The pollution of the filter system is a grave concern. It just does not make sense to save a small group of people 10 minutes of time to get somewhere. Thank you

I object to the Beaches Link development proposal for these reasons:

- The cost/benefit analysis is based on forecasts of traffic flows made in 2016 for 21 years ahead. Society is in the midst of potentially transformative changes to future travel patterns, driven by technological change and accelerated as a result of COVID-19. TfNSW has assessed the movement to work-from-home as temporary, but the long-term outcome is not yet known. This may significantly reduce the stated benefits of the project. In view of the negative impacts, including those detailed below, it makes no sense to proceed with a project of this scale and cost based on 2016 forecasts.
- The EIS states that traffic along Military Road will decrease by 11%. If forecasted traffic levels are too high (see above point), the claim of a small reduction in traffic along Military Road of 11% will be overstated and not achieve that objective of the project.
- Stated reductions in traffic on Military Road will be offset by increased congestion on 'rat runs' through Manly Vale and Balgowlah streets, and at intersections to the tunnel entrances. This is acknowledged by TfNSW. The net effect is to move traffic congestion from one place to another. As a condition of approval for the project, it needs to be shown how new congestion spots will be mitigated and without simply shifting bottlenecks to other intersections.
- The project will have significant environmental impact. The disturbance and spread of toxins around Middle Harbour as a result of dredging poses a risk to water quality around Clontarf Beach and Spit Marina, the control of which cannot be guaranteed. Overflows of polluted water into Manly Dam are likely to regularly occur from the Seaforth construction wastewater treatment plant and from rain run-off of the widened Wakehurst Parkway, which may prevent human recreation on the dam and threatens ancient species . Destruction of high value bushland and reduced groundwater inflows to local creeks, including up to 96% of Burnt Bridge Creek, is expected to occur.
- Air ventilation stacks will be unfiltered which will increase exposure to pollutant levels for school students and residents. Health experts advise there to be no 'safe' level of exposure. Future vehicle electrification may reduce this impact, however with no clear government policy to drive adoption of electric vehicles, there is no certainty of the extent and timing for this to occur.
- There will be significant local impact on residents and schools as a result of construction activity, including noise and frequent movement of trucks carrying away tunnel spoil. The EIS does not provide sufficient detail regarding these impacts. As a condition of approval, restrictions need to be placed on the frequency and timing of truck movements, and the types of construction permitted during standard hours and at night.