Controversy continues over the planned upgrade of the railway bridge over Boundary Street at Roseville and the lack of provision for a cycleway.
The bridge marks the intersection point between the State seats of Davidson, Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby.
With Willoughby and Ku-ring-gai Councils only recently provided any details of the project, Member for Davidson has been trying to obtain further information from RailCorp and the RTA. Little has been forthcoming.
Even the Media Release dated 11 August 2010 from Minister for Roads, David Borger, had the wrong phone number on it. The lady who answered the phone when Mr O'Dea rang it on both Wednesday and Thursday indicated that the number was wrong, but promised that a government media representative would call back promptly. As of Friday afternoon, he was still waiting to hear.
"This is indicative of the government's mismanagement of this issue, which has involved a lack of transparency and public consultation. With an on-site RailCorp worker indicating to me this week that work was due to commence in November, time is fast running out.
The 'Rail Trail' plan for North Shore cyclists was contained in the Labor Government's Bike Plan "Action for Bikes" issued in 1999, intended to be delivered by 2010. With its non-delivery, the Labor Government issued a new "NSW BikePlan" in May this year, again including reference to the proposed North Shore "Rail Trail". However, it appears that Labor does not want to make provision for cyclists to cross what will become a busy six lane road at Boundary Street at Roseville.
"Ironically, Premier Keneally's foreward to the latest BikePlan document states, 'The NSW BikePlan outlines how our agencies will work together - and in partnership with local Councils, communities and businesses'.
"This is yet another example of Labor spin, with the reality being that the NSW Labor Government repeatedly says one thing and does another".
I have previously lobbied to improve cycleways in and around my electorate of Davidson, but it yet again appears that NSW Labor has little regard for people in our part of Sydney", Mr O'Dea concluded.
