The RMS representative, John Begley, responded to WCC request for an update on the Fullers Road proposals and the status of Council’s requests for speed cameras. John advised that Peter Crosbie will meet with Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Transport, on Friday (23 August) to outline RMS proposals regarding upgrading of Fullers Road. There are some changes to the proposals previously put forward, including a right-hand turn into Edgar Street. If the Minister endorses the plan, it will be presented to the community before tenders for the work are finalised.

Regarding speed cameras, John advised that the Centre for Road Safety is responsible for decisions to install these: as far as he can determine, there is no proposal to install a speed camera on Fullers Road. (we have previously been advised that Fullers Rd was on the end of a black-spot list for a speed camera) He did acknowledge that RMS was undergoing major restructuring at present and this was affecting its operations.

Steven Head stated that the response of RMS regarding a speed camera is an amazing decision. There has been no response to Council from the Centre for Road Safety, so if this is its decision it is most inappropriate that it has been made without any communication to the local community.

STA Buses have raised a number of concerns regarding local bus routes being disrupted by vehicles parking at various locations along routes in this area. Locations particularly affected are opposite Nos 61 and 67 Dalrymple Avenue, Lone Pine Avenue at Eddy Road, Carr Street at De Villiers Road and Dalrymple Avenue opposite Spencer Place. It was agreed that ‘No Stopping’ restrictions be introduced at these locations.

Chatswood Public School plans to shift some of their students from the existing site on Centennial Avenue near the Pacific Highway to the grounds of Chatswood High School on the south side of Centennial Avenue. This will involve 12 demountable classrooms on the HS land and to address the traffic and transport implications of the change, the Department of Education has requested that consideration be given to:

• Replacement of the existing marked pedestrian crossing on Centennial Avenue west of Whitton Avenue with a signalised crossing;

• Amend the existing 5min parking zone on northern side of Centennial Avenue be amended to ‘No Parking/Kiss-&-Drop’ zone;

• The existing 5min zones on the southern side of Centennial Avenue become ‘No Parking/Kiss-&-Drop’ zones;

• A ‘No Parking/Kiss-&-Drop’ zone be created in Eddy Road towards the eastern end of the High School site to take effect from the beginning of the 2014 school year; and

• The existing 40km/hr school zone be extended along Whitton Road to Freeman, Road.

Discussion on these changes noted that traffic volumes Centennial Avenue west are only half those required for a signalised crossing, so this request does not meet RMS requirements. The parking restriction changes requested by were supported as these are considered to be a more effective means of ensuring a high turnover and short parking stays on school frontages. Thus, the following proposals were adopted:

1. A watts speed hump be installed on Centennial Avenue to the west of Jenkins Street;

2. The existing 5min parking zone on northern side of Centennial Avenue be amended to ‘No Parking/Kiss-&-Drop’ zone.

3. The existing 5min zones on the southern side of Centennial Avenue become ‘No Parking/Kiss-&-Drop’ zones.

4. A ‘No Parking/Kiss-&-Drop’ zone be created on the northern side of Eddy Road between Goodchap Road and Lone Pine Avenue. No Parking zone will take effect from the beginning of the 2014 school year.

5. Council will write to RMS seeking an extension of the existing 40km/hr school zone along Whitton Road as far south as Freeman Road.

Over 70 local residents attended the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) hearing to assess the twin tower development by Meriton near the Chatswood Railway Station. Thirteen speakers told Commissioners Richard Thorp and Donna Campbell of their concerns. Thirteen local residents address the Commission.

A determination by the Commission is expected in a week or two.

This article reviews the current position regarding the long delayed Fullers Rd Safety Scheme. After the Council position there is the RMS (RTA) position including a link to the independent consultants report. 

COUNCIL POSITION

Mayor and Councillors,

As you are aware Council has been pressing the RMS and the State Government in regard to road safety on Fullers Road and agitating for the installation of road safety measures including speed camera’s on Fullers Road.

Council’s most recent action in regard to Fullers Road was in June 2013 when we wrote the Centre For Road Safety at Transport for NSW making a renewed request for speed cameras on Fullers Road to be completed in conjunction with the Road Safety Scheme. No response to that letter has, to date, been received. Council also wrote to RMS and the local members in April regarding the ongoing delays in introducing the road safety proposals on Fullers Road.

It is noted that RMS is now proposing further amendments to the Fullers Road proposals to address issues raised in the Independent review. It is also noted that the independent review makes no reference to the provision of speed camera’s on Fullers Road.   A link to this review can be found towards the bottom of this e-mail.

Regards

Acting Infrastructure Services Director
Willoughby City Council
Ph 9777 7701 or 0417 255228

RMS (RTA) POSITION

Subject: Parsons Brinkerhoff – Review of Fullers Road proposal

READ THE PARSONS-BRINKERHOFF REPORT

Fyi, details have been updated on the RMS website with regards to Fullers Rd. We have released a report by Parsons Brinkerhoff which assesses the Fullers Road proposal.

RMS has review the report and are in the process of amending the design. Once a final design has been completed RMS will inform council of its next step.

Regards

Road Network Officer

Traffic Engineering Services | Sydney Region
T 02 8849 2053  F 02 8849 2794
www.rms.nsw.gov.auRoads and Maritime Services
27 Argyle Street Parramatta NSW 2150 |

Opal travel card readers will be installed at Chatswood by the end of the week. They will also be switched on at railway stations between Milsons Point and Chatswood by Friday. The Opal readers will be operational at 17 train stations across Sydney CBD and the lower north shore.

More than 15,000 people have an Opal card. They have made 330,000 trips since the new technology was rolled out late last year.

The new Opal card will be progressively rolled out across the network over the next 15 months.

Read an earlier story about the Opal card.

Most people would be aware that the sports fields in Willoughby are reaching their capacity. Some of the time fields are unplayable due to adverse weather. At other times, there are different sporting codes vying for the same space or timeslot. There is not just a need across
the city for more sporting grounds. Chatswood, West Ward contains six schools, all are growing in student numbers and they have an increasing demand for sporting facilities.

There is a limited number of strategies that can be used to address this situation. Installing synthetic surfaces on existing fields can overcome some of the adverse weather situations. The implementation of lighting on fields can extend the playing time on a particular field. Working out how to facilitate multiple sporting codes on the same surface can address some of the time slot issues. The final approach is to find spaces for new fields. This latter approach can be prohibitively expensive (due to the high value of land in the city.

Twenty years ago, Council proposed to install lights and a synthetic surface on the O.H. Reid Oval site. The local residents object, mainly due to the topography of the area. The idea was shelved. More recently, Council has been undertaking a review of all its sporting facilities. Whilst solutions have been found for some sports that only require relatively small areas, finding locations for new sporting oval has not been successful.

A local Chatswood West resident has come up with an innovative (albeit likely contentious) solution. His idea is to build ovals at the northern end of Chatswood Golf Club. Possibly 2 to 3 sporting fields could be located on public land currently leased to the golf club (the lease is currently up for renewal). He points out that the site is well-serviced by buses along Delhi Rd. There is an existing unformed vehicular road into the area where parking could be located without cars having to go by residential streets.

The downside for this proposal is the impact on the Golf Club. Currently, three of the club’s eighteen holes are located on the public land leased from Council. The proposal would reduce the course to fifteen holes. This would mean golfers would have to play three holes twice. Whilst the proposal to reclaim the public land for more diverse is radical, it does awaken some issues worthy of consideration. It would be quite interesting to see the number of players per year that use our various sporting facilities. Particularly if this is analysed by the size of the facility and the return to Council from fee or leases.

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Opens 3PM, Saturday 31 August – Incinerator Art Space, Small Street, Willoughby

The Willoughby Spring Festival Street Fair Opening is on Saturday 7 September at 10AM.

This will be followed by the Burst into Life Street Parade.

All welcome