Blacktown Greens

Crikey reports in the “Daily Email” newsletter for 19th June 2009 that:

There are moves afoot to try to get Lindsay MP David Bradbury in the seat of Chifley, currently held by Government Whip Roger Price. Price, in Parliament since 1984, is thinking of hanging up his spurs and retiring. The push to move Bradbury, instigated by Bradbury himself, has been brewing along. Roger isn’t a happy camper as he would rather see his son, Ben Price, a local Real Estate mogul take Dad’s plumb seat.

Meanwhile, in Lindsay, a rival union to Bradbury’s patrons the Transport Workers Union, may run a very high profile independent against him. Of course, the high profile type, who hails from TV land, is denying a career in politics despite being seen lunching it with a few local business types out in western Sydney.

The Exclusive Brethren have proposed the building of an enormous new meeting hall in the quiet rural valley of Lisarow on the New South Wales central coast.

The locals are very upset and can’t see why their idyllic haven and the environment should be invade by a group that has no real connection with the area.

Read more at the Lisarow Residents Against Inappropriate Development site.

An Acoustic Benefit Night for ‘Friends of Maliana’.

From 6.00 pm Friday 24th April (Anzac Eve) at Leichhardt Town Hall (corner of Norton & Marion Streets) with tickets at the door for $25/$15 conc.

Jack Mundey will speak on Denis Kevans anti-war poetry and Consul-General for Timor Leste, His Excellency Abel Guterres, will also speak.

Performers include: Enda Kenny, Bob & Margaret Fagan, John Warner & Margaret Walters, The Lurkers, Cass Eager, Dennis Aubrey, Jenni Nixon, Sonia Bennett, Denis Rice, Yota Krili, Siobhan McHugh with a tribute to Paddy Kenneally (1916-2009).

Enquiries: 9367 9351

Seven Hills Road South in Seven Hills is a minor suburban thoroughfare.

View Larger Map

The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) have for a very long time wanted to upgrade the road to make it suitable for heavy traffic and to provide a short cut between the Great Western Highway/M4 and M7.

Since the advent of new major roads in western Sydney and the upgrade of roads to the north and south the need for an upgrade is no longer there (if it ever was).

Unfortunately some executives at Blacktown Council are for some reason very keen for the RTA to prioritise the upgrade.

The Blacktown Greens oppose this for the following reasons:

1)  Road upgrades are notorious for inducing extra traffic.

2)  Upgrading Seven Hills Rd South encourages  an alternative north/south route in Western Sydney to  compete with the M2/M7 and Cumberland Highway.

3)  An upgraded road through the centre of Seven Hills would create a built divide between two sides of the road.

4)  The upgrade will open the road up to heavy vehicles thereby subjecting residents of Seven Hills South to truck noise additional to those presently experiencing  truck noise.

5)  The EPA Traffic Noise Guidelines which have been  adopted by the RTA stipulate that additional truck  routes through built-up areas should be discouraged.  An upgrade of Seven Hills Rd South is the creation of  an additional truck route in a built-up area.

6)  Residents living on the eastern side of Seven Hills Rd South, on the western end of Grantham Rd, on  Australorp Avenue and its side streets and those on part of the eastern side of Prospect Highway will be forced to traverse back streets by car and travel up to 2km further to travel to the Shopping Centre and Railway Station because Grantham Rd and Australorp  Ave are specified “left-in/left-out only”. This will also  create similar problems for parents dropping off and  picking up students from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. Parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church will also have the same problems.

7)  Residents on the western side of Seven Hills Rd South alongside Oldfield Road and its side streets, alongside Davies Rd and nearby streets will be forced to travel via Wall Park Ave and Oldfield Road upon returning by car from the Shopping Centre and Railway Station because Oldfield Rd and Davies Rd will be specified “left-in/left-out only”.  Both scenarios expose residents  on presently quiet back streets to increased traffic movements.

 8) The road upgrade will cause destruction of the best representation of the ‘”Endangered” Ecological    Community of Cumberland Plain Woodland existing on  the former Grantham Poultry Research Station site.  This is the second largest representative stand of  Cumberland Plain Woodland in Seven Hills. The road upgrade will reduce it to a tiny frgment - the third or least representative stand in Seven Hills.

10) The Cumberland Plain Woodland on this site is State  Heritage Listed.
 
11)  The road upgrade will destroy State Heritage  Listed structures on the former Grantham Poultry Research Station site including an exposed cast iron water pipe which is a relic of the first connection of   Seven Hills to ‘mains’ water from Prospect Reservoir.
 
12)  The road upgrade will expose the State Heritage  Listed and structurally weakened house “Melrose” to vibrations from heavy vehicle movements.
 
13)  The road upgrade will expose children and carers at Leabons Lane Community Long Day Care Centre to threat from heavy vehicle accidents as these vehicles  will be passing at speeds of at least 60km within  metres of the Centre’s building and playground.
 
14)  The road upgrade will significantly alter the 200 plus years old alignment of Seven Hills Rd alongside the Grantham Poultry Research Station site. This is one of the oldest road alignments still in use in Australia. 
 
All these problems for Seven Hills will  occur if the RTA and/or Blacktown City Council  proceed to make the journey for through-traffic (ie out- of-area traffic) an average 58 seconds quicker by  upgrading Seven Hills Rd South

If you have concerns about this planned upgrade make them known to our local political representatives:

• The Hon. Nathan Rees, MP - Member of the Legislative Assembly for Toongabbie via Email toongabbie@parliament.nsw.gov.au or better still by phone on 9831 8022 or fax on 9831 8044
• Kathie Collins - ALP councilllor for Blacktown City Third Ward via Email kathie.collins@blacktown.nsw.gov.au or better still by phone on 9621-1896 or fax on 9622-4500
• Russ Dickens - Independent councilllor for Blacktown City Third Ward via Email dickensvet@bigpond.com or better still by phone on 9622-1200 or fax on 9671-4077
• Jess Diaz - Independent councilllor for Blacktown City Third Ward via Email Jess.Diaz@blacktown.nsw.gov.au or better still by phone on 0428 280 931 or fax on 9621-1239

November 15, 2008 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Join thousands of families, workplaces and communities in a walk for renewable energy and a safe climate future for our children. With vital decisions being made this year, we will Walk Against Warming to ensure the Australian Government supports strong, urgent action and justice for developing nations affected by global warming.
Look out for the Greens stall to pick up a placard.

Walk Against Warming: Parramatta

November 15, 2008 8:45 am to 9:45 am
Join concerned families, workplaces and communities in a walk for renewable energy and a safe climate future for our children.
Walk starting from the Amphitheatre (near Parramatta Town Hall and St John’s Church) and then walking to Prince Alfred Park. Afterwards to Parramatta Station for those planning to go to the collective walk from Martin Place. Walk hosted by Parracan.

Full information: www.walkagainstwarming.org