PRIVATE MEMBERS' STATEMENTS
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BLACKTOWN TO CASTLE HILL BUS TRANSITWAY
Page: 1616
Mr GIBSON (Blacktown) [5.22 p.m.]: Progress is often a wonderful thing. We all realise that it must occur, but sometimes it comes at a price. However, progress should not cause discomfort for those who will be affected by it. The State Government must be congratulated on its great foresight in providing bus transitways. Unfortunately, however, I have a concern about the construction of the Blacktown to Castle Hill bus transitway. It has been suggested that that transitway will run parallel to Sunnyholt Road which, apart from Windsor Road, is probably the most congested road in Western Sydney. It is a nightmare to be on that road at any time, but more particularly during peak hours.
The Government has to decide whether to build the transitway down the eastern side or the western side of Sunnyholt Road. There is a problem and a decision must be made. Tonight I place on the record my thoughts in relation to the transitway before a decision is made. I hope that, after talking with the Minister and with other people, I might influence the outcome of that decision and get them to take a long hard look at the proposed transitway. On the eastern side of Sunnyholt Road the Government will have to buy back 92 homes and on the western side it will have to buy back eight homes, which means that those families will be kicked out of their homes. The best option would be to build the transitway down the western side of Sunnyholt Road. However, the environmental impact statement and other studies will not be completed until the end of June.
Last Monday the Roads and Traffic Authority wrote to 92 people living on the eastern side of Sunnyholt Road and told them that it looked as though their houses would be resumed. As I said earlier, Sunnyholt Road is a congested road. Devitt Street, which is located on the eastern side of Sunnyholt Road, runs parallel to the railway line and then leads into the main part of Blacktown. A major set of lights will have to be installed at the intersection of Devitt Street and Sunnyholt Road. After the transitway is constructed between 18 and 36 buses will travel along that road every hour. Another set of traffic lights on this most congested road in Western Sydney to control the movement of buses in and out of Blacktown would make that road a living hell.
If the Government constructs the transitway down the western side of Sunnyholt Road there will be no need to cross that road. That would result in no congestion or interruption to traffic on Sunnyholt Road. I ask the Minister and the Government to look at east versus west before making this decision. If the Government decides to construct the transitway on the eastern side it will mean kicking 92 families out of their homes. There are commercial properties on the western side of Sunnyholt Road so it would probably cost the Government an additional $25 million if it chose to construct the transitway down the western side of that road. We must take into account not only the monetary value when constructing this transitway; we must also determine what is the better route.
The Roads and Traffic Authority is pushing the argument that the east is where the population is located. However, population expansion over the next five to 10 years will be on the western side and that expansion will far outnumber the present population on the eastern side. Harry Searle came to see me the other day. He and his wife have lived in that area for 46 years. Harry's son and daughter-in-law built a home at the back of his block—a house that might now be bought back by the Government. Harry worked hard all his life, built a home and saved up for his retirement. He now finds that he might lose the whole lot and he might have to start again. It is all right to give these people market value for their properties, but they will be disadvantaged if they have to buy back into the market.
Barbara and her husband also came to see me. They worked for 10 years to build a new home, which they might now lose. I sent a survey to the 92 families who will be affected by this transitway. The surveys that have been returned to me reveal that those families are totally against the Government's buyback system. Not one family is in favour of this proposed construction. Earlier I applauded the Government on its foresight. I now ask it to show some compassion and to make the right decision in relation to this issue.