Attached is the submission of the Seaforth Public School Parents & Citizens Association. We write to express concerns and objections to specific aspects of the proposed Beaches Link Tunnel as they impact the school community.

My comments relate to the potentially terminal impact the construction of the tunnel under Upper Middle Harbour will have on my local sailing club.

I object to the Beaches Link project due to the resultant increases in traffic through Artarmon Village and Artarmon Industrial Area. The EIS traffic data shows that the performance of the intersections of Reserve Rd / Dickson Ave and Reserve Rd / Barton Rd will decrease significantly as a result of the project. Also, there is no improvement to what is currently a poorly performing intersection at Reserve Rd / Gore Freeway despite the addition of an additional lane on Reserve Rd as part of the project. The measures proposed in the EIS to minimise this impact are not adequate and I support the implementation of the additional traffic improvement measures included in the Artarmon Progress Association's submission regarding this EIS dated 1st March 2021. The project will further encourage traffic via the Artarmon Village and residential areas, because of the inadequacies of the Pacific Hwy / Mowbray Rd intersection, especially the lack of a right turn from Mowbray Rd West onto the Pacific Hwy southbound.

As a member of the Northbridge Sailing Club I strongly protest the construction constrictions associated with this project. These constrictions have the potential to half the sailing area that the club currently has. This area decease will lead to a concentrated number of boats in a substantially smaller space which will have a major affect on the safety and wellbeing of the sailors. New and less experienced members could easily end up in extremely high risk situations in this type of situation.
This will also have a huge impact on the club itself. With a lack of space to properly enjoy sailing, it is predicted many members will leave and find a more suitable sailing club. Without a steady member base there is a high chance the club will no longer be able support itself financially and thus will have to close down.
It is requested that the Transport for NSW initiates a consultation with the Northbridge Sailing Club prior to any advances on the project to ensure we are able to negate these issues.
Thank you.

To whom it may concern,
I wish to lodge my strong objection to the beaches link tunnel. Before we spend upwards of $10billion of taxpayers money and potentially destroy our valued native landscape, fauna and flora we need to consider the following;
• COVID has changed the way we live, work and think. More people are working from home, working flexible hours and commuting less.
• We are using a local green spaces more and the tunnel destroys a significant amount of green space with no plan of how it will be returned.
• Public transport options should be further explored
• The EIS should be updated with current data as it is using out of date figures especially due to the pandemic. A post COVID EIS needs to be written and re submitted for community consultation.
The entire project has had a real lack of engagement from the community and I believe if the community was engage, we would be able to find a solution that works for everyone.
Design faults
1. Taking the fastest route
It is proposed that cars travelling north to Manly will exit the Balgowlah tunnel at a set of lights at the Link Road. They will then travel through 8 sets of lights down Sydney road before getting to a parking station in Manly.
A car seeking the fastest route would travel through the tunnel to Kenneth Road and travel to Manly beach having travelled through only 2 sets of lights.
2. Why the Link Road?
It is most likely that:
I. all residents from Warringah Road North are most likely to take the Wakehurst Parkway tunnel,
II. all residents South of Warringah Road to Condamine Street will take the Balgowlah tunnel; and
III. all residents of Seaforth, Balgowlah, Balgowlah Heights, Clontarf, Fairlight, Manly (Harbour side) and anyone not wanting to pay the toll will continue to use the Spit Bridge.

3. Public Transport design thinking not included
There is no inclusion in the design on how public transport from the Harbour side suburbs ((III) above) are expected to use the tunnel. One would expect a hub and spoke junction at some point for residents to be able to access West bound public transport.
Given the communities continued request for improved public transport one would expect that this should all be included in the design phase.
Local traffic problems
• The EIS does not include impact on local roads, instead it has left this to Northern Beaches Council. There are already issues with local traffic that haven’t been resolved these should be looked at in consultation with the tunnel project
• It is expected that up to 40,000 more cars will be coming to the beaches in our local area Balgowlah heights and Clontarf we already have huge traffic congestions issues in small narrow streets over the summer.
o Clontarf’s local streets this summer was closed on several occasion due to an unprecedented number of cars coming from out of area and traffic gridlock with no parking
o Manly already doesn’t have enough parking to service its current users
o These issues should be considered in the EIS along with council submissions so that they are planned for in advance. Local public transport options should be considered.
Condition to be included as part of project:
● Tunnel Project, after engaging with NB Council, include in the design the impacts on local traffic and a public transport solution for Harbour side residents.
● NB Council/Tunnel Project include in the design, an electronic board at tunnel exit detailing real time parking availability at local Beaches. Beach goers would then seek a beach further up the Northern Beaches and not compromise local roads should parking not be available.

Environmental Concerns
Our community values our very sparse native green space including Burnt Bridge Creek, Garigal National Park, Bantry Bay and Manly Dam Reserve. This has become all the more apparent since the pandemic and our concern over climate change impacts.
We need to seriously consider the future ramifications of losing waterways and ecosystems for more traffic. These native bushlands, mature trees and ecosystems need to be held in trust for our children. Felling 150year old trees is irreplaceable in our children’s lifetime.
The EIS states there will be up to 96% reduction in baseflow in the Burnt Bridge Creek with permanent loss of the fauna and flora that live off and around it, yet there is no suggestion on how this impact can be deterred, as though it is inconsequential.

Condition to be included as part of project:
● The Tunnel Project provide a solution to save the Burnt Bridge Creek and dependant ecosystem.
● The remaining native green space on the Northern Beaches be kept in trust so as not to be further compromised at the whim of State government, and local council.

We object to the Beaches Link project and provide that attached documentation supporting our standpoint.