I object to this entire development, for a myriad of reasons, the key ones of which I have outlined below:

• Despite RMS claims in the Environmental Impact Statement, exhaust fumes from vehicles via smokestacks in the close proximity of schools, day-care centres and thousands of homes will – as confirmed by the latest medical research, and contrary to the outdated advice from the State Chief Medical Officer – put our children and the elderly at unacceptable risk for many years, despite the future promise of low-emission (eg, electric) vehicles. This will only be exacerbated by the Federal government's refusal to adopt the highest international standards of vehicle emissions and fuel cleanliness (eg, Euro 6 and 7), so that vehicles in Australia are 'dirtier' than most others.

• If exhaust fumes from the unfiltered smokestacks are added to the air on days when bushfire smoke is already raising the air quality index (AQI) to danger levels of 200 or more (as it did during the 2019–20 bushfires), the proposed tunnels should be closed to ALL traffic, to avoid adding even more to the problem. I would strongly like for this to be a CONDITION FOR APPROVAL of the scheme.

• Almost all other progressive cities in the world are restricting or reducing the growth of road traffic – particularly private cars and fume-belching lorries – in favour of public transport. Why are we so focussed on creating more roads for cars, rather then a pathway for rail and public transport.

• If the scheme goes ahead, it should be redesigned with exhaust/fresh-air stacks every few kilometres, like the Stockholm E4 bypass tunnel. I would like THIS A CONDITION FOR APPROVAL to ensure we are using world best practice.

• I object to the taking of public open space such as St Leonards Park, as well as Cammeray Golf Club – significantly reducing local open space. On a smaller scale, part of the south-east corner of Anzac Park will be taken permanently for the realignment of Cammeray Avenue, due to widening of the Freeway. All of this greenery and open space is used by the long term residents of the area.

• There will be years and years of traffic chaos, noise, vibration, dust, and hundreds of lorries thundering past Lower North Shore homes, which is not conducive to raising my young family. Will the Premier like it if we rain similar sized vehicles, or heavy machinery right next door to where she lived?

• The FINAL COST of the whole project is completely unknown, because the premier and her government refuse to publish the business case – This is an outrageous case of deception, as we the residents, public and taxpayers of thes state, deserve to see what kind of cost benefit analysis has taken place. The track record for the poor and costly implementation of the light rail through Randwick to the CBD is but one example of this State Governments mismanagement of Taxpayer funding.

• The money spent on the tunnels and Freeway upgrade would be far better spent on a Light Rail link from Chatswood to the Northern Beaches. The last thing we need is more cars on the roads.

• Almost all previous objections – as evidenced by more than 11,000 signatures to the previouspetition, 90% of them local – have been completely ignored. LET THIS OBJECTION COUNT!

I object to the WHTBL development proposal due to the adverse impacts it creates for children, pedestrians, and other users of St Leonard’s Park.

St Leonard’s Park is a very busy park, used by a large number of children at nearby schools, as well as the many young families that have moved in to the area in recent years. Three new schools have opened very recently in the local area and most of the established local schools have increased their size to cater for more students.

However, there has been no corresponding increase in outdoor sport and recreation facilities to match the growth in the numbers of children. All the current outdoor sports facilities are stretched to their limit and finding space for school sport is a constant battle.

Any loss of any portion of St Leonard’s Park will have a major negative impact on the ability for children to take part in sport, and live active, healthy lifestyles.

The statement from the Chief Health Officer has incorrectly stated that there are other parks that the children can use: anyone who has had a role in trying to organize venues for outdoor school sports in the area will tell you this is false. It is very difficult and many sports that children would like to participate in can’t be held due to a lack of local outdoor space.

In addition, the park is increasingly being used by cyclists travelling at high speed and in close proximity to other park users, including young children. Just this morning, I was almost hit by a cyclist on one of the shared paths when he refused to give way. Instead he deliberately almost rammed me. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. There have even been hospitalizations of pedestrians within the park after being hit by cyclists on the shared paths.

An comprehensive investigation in to the needs of St Leonard’s Park by North Sydney Council found that a priority action was to create a separate cycle path around the perimeter of the park to avoid conflict between pedestrians/other park users and cyclists.

This separate cycle path was discussed with the RMS at one of the WHTBL project information sessions and RMS explicitly acknowledged that a separate cycle path would be much safer for pedestrians and other park users than a shared path.

However, the WHTBL proposal has eliminated the option to build a separate cycle path and instead maintained the current shared path plan, which the RMS admitted would make the it less safe for children and pedestrians!

The St Leonard’s Park Masterplan that was adopted by North Sydney Council has clearly showed conflict between pedestrians and cyclists as a key issue and as well as the specific plans to create a separate cycle path along the eastern perimeter. These have all been ignored/disregarded in the WHTBL project plan. Attached is the extract from this document.

I object to the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade. We need to take cars off the road, not build roads to facilitate cars and the pollution they bring. Cities globally are taking cars off the road and we are doing the exact opposite. We need progressive forward thinking and building a sustainable transport network where public transport can move many times more people than cars. Pollution is a a massive health risk and the smoke stacks in Cammeray will be a huge health risk to my family and community. I worry about the construction with the trucks and all the kids in this concentrated area of north sydney that walk to and from school with massive trucks moving massive amounts of material that will also include asbestos. The risk this project brings both during construction and when in operation is of the greatest concern. The government needs to be held accountable for the increased ESG risks that this ill-conceived project brings. This projects ESG risks are of the highest material risk and go right to the heart of the climate change inaction that Australia is so woeful with and the advocates of this project will reap the consequences that this project brings if it gets approved. This is in your hands, please re-consider this project and do not approve it.

As a resident of North Sydney, I strongly object to the Freeway Upgrade for the following reasons:
* Pollution caused by hundreds of additional B-Line buses in our already overcrowded streets (especially High Street), plus no filtered vent stacks in the tunnel to control the fumes. At least can an isolated bus lane be considered?
* Loss of green space in a very high rise district
* Traffic access to the harbour bridge will be severely impeded from our surrounding streets

Claire Lusher
15 Harbour Lane Middle Cove NSW 2068
Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade



I object to the widespread disruption within the community that this proposed project would cause. Dust, noise, vibrations and vehicle movements are highly concerning factors that will be central to such a large construction project. The area near the work sites will be blanketed with dust throughout the approximately 6-year construction period. Digging, drilling and the like will be very noisy and disruptive to the local community; whether residents, workers or children attending the tens of primary and secondary schools, pre-schools and day care centres in the North Sydney LGA (which has the highest concentration of schools and child-care centres in Australia).

I demand mitigation measures for Anzac Park Public School, where my children are students. Children are not specifically mentioned in this EIS. I demand the impacts on children from dust, noise, vibrations and vehicle movements be addressed specifically. These disruptions are a community health issue, and over a six year period, the damage and health impacts will be significant.

The volume of truck movements predicted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week are very concerning, particularly in quiet, local community areas. Large trucks will be required to remove spoil and sediment for dumping elsewhere. Even removal by freeway (which is forecast for major earth-moving) will create substantial noise.

Works on the Warringah Freeway itself will last approx. 6 years. During the day, the noise is expected to be very loud. This level of noise will have a negative impact on the entire community – school pupils, residents and workers.

I demand that a 6pm curfew be imposed on weekdays for any noisy construction activities relating to this project, and I demand a 1pm curfew on Saturdays, with no noisy works to go ahead at all on Sundays. I also demand comprehensive community consultation regarding any out of hours work; out of hours work cannot go ahead without a formal framework being put in place as regards curfews.

Claire Lusher
15 Harbour Lane Middle Cove NSW 2068
Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade



I object to the fact that the NSW government has released no business case for this project, This being the case, it is not possible for the community to analyse and determine if the project – estimated to cost $14m minimum (for both the Western Harbour Tunnel and the Beaches Link, combined) – represents value for money for the community. By preventing the community from accessing a business case, the community is forced to ask whether the project represents good value for money. Is there a demonstrable cost benefit?

Other recent projects relating to major state infrastructure have come in well over budget, and so it can reasonably be assumed this project will follow suit. How can the community be expected to support a project of this scale without access to the financial aspects required to make a full analysis?

I demand that a business case for this project be published. I demand that alternatives such as a mass transit rapid public transport scheme be costed and the details published as a comparison.

Claire Lusher
15 Harbour Lane Middle Cove NSW 2068
Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade

I object to the fact that the two stacks proposed at Anzac Park in Cammeray are unfiltered. In other countries, filtration is standard in tunnels longer than 5kms, to remove particulates, hydrocarbon residues, nitrogen dioxide. These can lead to serious illness and premature death. This is a community health issue, which affects numerous primary and secondary schools, pre-schools, and day-care centres in Cammeray, Willoughby, North Sydney, Cremorne and beyond. It also affects inhabitants of these areas in particular those who are vulnerable (older people, pregnant women, children), not to mention people who travel to these areas for their work (teachers, office workers, people working out of doors – anyone employed in this area!). And, of course, the people who travel in the tunnels themselves, who risk exposure each time they drive in the tunnels.

Longitudinal ventilation has been proposed. This is insufficient for tunnels of this length, in particular when TWO smoke stacks will be directly adjacent to each other, situated at the end of Anzac Park, close to the current Ernest Street flyover, approx. 150m away from the brand-new $13m Anzac Park Public School which is forecast to cater for 1000 children in 2022.

Children are not mentioned specifically in the EIS, nor are pregnant women. How is this possible when the proposed stacks would be located in an area that has tens of schools, pre-schools, daycares and more? North Sydney LGA has the highest concentration of schools and child-care centres in Australia.

The pollutant loads for this project have probably been underestimated. There is no provision at all for air treatment. Furthermore, there is no provision in the design to install filtration at a later date if it emerges that pollutant loads are higher than estimated. It will then be very difficult and costly to retro-fit, if not impossible.

How is this possible in a project of this scale? How is the long-term health of Sydney’s public valued so little? The cost of filtration has been cited, but clearly with the grave risks faced by people breathing in the unfiltered pollution, the cost is simply being passed on to the health system ‘later on’, when a different government will be presiding. This is shocking.

Background particulate levels are already high in the Anzac Park / Cammeray area, and the AQI reached danger levels during the bushfires in late 2019-early 2020. I demand that a condition for approval of the project as follows: it must be redesigned to incorporate filtration of the exhaust stacks at Cammeray.

Claire Lusher
15 Harbour Lane Middle Cove NSW 2068
Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade

I object to the fact that climate change is not addressed in the EIS for this project. This topic – which is front of mind for the citizens of Sydney, NSW and Australia - has been overlooked entirely, at a time when the country faces a crippling drought, extreme weather conditions, and severe bushfires.

Sydney is a highly congested city, and what is required is a mass transit rapid public transport solution NOT additional tunnels with no dedicated public transport lanes. The government should be encouraging people to adopt public transport by offering them more public transport solutions rather than trying to coerce them into their cars at great expense – to their wallets (tolls) and to their health (pollution in tunnels and pollution in the areas surrounding the unfiltered stacks emitting the toxins from within the tunnels).

No public transport option was proposed at all when this project was outlined. This is unacceptable. Other cities are restricting cars through congestion charging (London), promoting the use of healthy transport (London’s dedicated cycling lanes), and taking steps to preserve their local – and the globe’s – climate. How is it possible that our state government forbade the RMS from exploring alternatives to cars? I demand that the RMS prove this tunnel is the best solution.

I OBJECT STRONGLY TO THIS PROJECT

I live in Cremorne very close to the Cammeray Golf Course.
I have attended precinct meetings and Government briefings regarding the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade.

Objection 1.
I object strongly to the plan of unfiltered ventilation stacks and their proposed location. It is with horror to hear of the traffic pollution this project will create through the unfiltered stacks, especially as our air is already compromised from the close proximity to the freeway. With the high concentration of schools and child-care centres in North Sydney, there are many school children, day-care children, not to mention thousands of infants, elderly and homes all of which will be affected by these emissions. Surely, it’s possible and more economical for long term health and well-being, to filtrate the ventilation stacks!

Objection 2.
I object strongly to the proposed loss of green and open space. We have the good fortune of public open and green space around us - it's a shock to see this project will remove 1/3 of Cammeray Golf Course, including the removal of the lake and underground reservoir, for construction support site buildings, storage and motorway facilities buildings and carparks, This will be a major impact on the environment along with the land taken from St Leonards Park, the construction planned at Anzac Park and the various other construction sites along Warringah Freeway. Is it possible for the planners to create more green spaces rather than less by building the work-related buildings underground and creating green overpasses over the Freeway?

Objection 3.
I object strongly to the stress this plan will put onto our local roads. Why has a rail link not been considered instead of the tunnel option? Rail and buses have been proven to be a cost-effective and efficient means of transporting people and we already have a rail-network it could connect to. The B Line bus service has proven to improve traffic flow from the beaches and along Military Rd. Surely encouraging more vehicles to move from the West to North through a tunnel is not the answer to having less vehicles on the road.

Objection 4.
I object strongly to the proposed alteration and changes to the many surrounding streets e.g. High Street, Falcon Street, Berry Street, Ridge Street, Merlin Street, Blue Street, Arthur Street, and Ernest Street. These streets play an important part in traffic flow - to stop the flow puts more impact on the surrounding suburban streets. Peak traffic times of the working day and Saturday mornings currently experience restricted traffic flows and delays.

Objection 5.
I object strongly to six years of major OOHW construction work which could extend to 24hrs of noise, dust and vibration pollution. This cannot be at all healthy for the community - creating major noise and air pollution and risk of damage to local structures and properties. Should the project go ahead there should be a strict curfew of noise and activity on weekdays and none on weekends.

The community objections need to be considered. We were advised at the most recent Cammeray precinct public meeting that a petition of more than 11,000 signatures objecting to the Western Harbour Tunnel were supposed to be presented and heard at Parliament, however, were apparently not presented.

The release of the EIS should have included a full assessment of an alternative to the Westren Harbour Tunnel project and included light rail connecting northern beaches to the network. It should also have included the full business case which can be open to independent assessment and scrutiny.