The new Metro North driver-less train service from Rouse Hill to Chatswood via Epping has opened to mixed reviews.
On its opening day, not unexpectedly, there were huge queues at Chatswood Station for a free ride.
Whilst there have been a couple of technical glitches it is probably too early to judge the reliability of the service.
The re-development of Chatswood Golf Club is still being initially assessed by Willoughby Council. If they find that the proposal is compatible with the site.If the initial assessment is positive we hope that the plans are placed on public exhibition before being considered by the Sydney North Planning Panel.
As part of its initial assessment, Council advised the club that it would not support and loss of private recreational space on the site.
The club is looking to provide a retirement village on the site along with improved facilities for its members and the public,
If you wish to stay informed about this application you could write to Council and/or your ward councillors requesting that you be kept informed of the progress of the application.
A report on the project was recently written by the North Shore Times.
Old M40 New 140
One of the Sate Government’s better initiative is no more. Namely the RED M40 buses. In their wisdom, these have been replaced with standard BLUE buses with a 140 route number.
The route and timetable stays the same. Just most of the red buses and the M40 designator have gone.
What a joke.
From this to this ? 
Council officers are supporting a ‘spot re-zoning’ of 1A-29 Bowen Street & 6-18 Moriarty St.
The Planning Proposal seeks to amend Willoughby Local Environmental Plan 2012 to change the zoning for the sites and adjacent roadway at Bowen Street from R2 Low Density Residential to R4 High Density Residential, allow a building height of up to 30 metres and a Floor Space Ratio up to 2.5:1 (including 7% residential GFA to be affordable housing).
The NSW Government has announced the following changes to the emergency services levy
There are a number of matters of interest in this Council meeting. This includes items:
16.1 Operational Plan 2019-2020. This sets out how and where Council proposes yo spend your rates. The plan is in draft form. The next step is for it to go on public exhibition.
17.1 Leisure Centre Pool Hall Upgrade: Detailed designs or proposed upgrade works.
17.2 Formation of OH Reid Citizens Panel: Details of proposed Terms of Reference.
18.3 1A-29 Bowen St & 6-18 Moriarty St: Proposed rezoning to high density.
19.2 Climate emergency: Clr Saville has moved that Council publicly acknowledges that we are in a state of climate emergency.
You can access the details for these items from Council’s website under “Agendas”
Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance yesterday announced the opening date for the first fully automated, driverless Metro passenger trains which provides a connection between Tallawong and Chatswood Stations.
Is this an answer for the problem?The 255 bus seems to be encountering ever more difficulties. Lone Pine is a particular problem because of parking on either side of an already narrow street.
Today, a bus was trapped half way along (not sure exactly why) and traffic entering at both ends piled up. The situation rapidly developed into one that couldn’t easily be resolved, as school buses were lined up in Eddy, and there was no room for cars to reverse out of Lone Pine.
Possible solutions? Difficult. One option would be to permit parking on one side only (residents without off-street parking would be upset). Another would be to widen on the western side (also probably upsetting residents).
The concern is that State Transport will axe the service because would-be passengers will give up, giving ammunition in the form of declining patronage to those who would like to axe it for cost reasons.
Chatswood West Ward History 