Plans for higher density housing in Mona Vale should be shelved until the bus crisis and Mona Vale Road are fixed, says Independent Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby.
The government announced the planning reforms last week that would allow developments of up to six storeys, including terraces, town houses and shop top housing in Mona Vale.
See: Mona Vale Set to Become the Dee Why of Pittwater Under NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise policy
“We simply cannot support higher density housing. We can’t transport our current population at the moment.
“I invite the Premier to join me for a 190x commute to the city in the morning, if it turns up, to show him exactly what we are dealing with up here. Frustrated Pittwater commuters endure the longest bus ride in Sydney with miserable journeys to and from work and uni – with continuous cancellations adding to insult to injury.
“Everyday, including today, I get sent screenshots where half the morning services have been cancelled, images of winding queues for the B1, and complaints about long waits for Keoride on-demand services – which frankly would be more accurately called Keo-45 minutes later–ride services.
See: New Bus Timetable Leaving Commuters Stranded Along Essential Routes, again
“The Mona Vale Road is our main arterial route out of Pittwater and is unsafe in its current state. It can’t cope with daily traffic and the unfinished section is a bottle neck unsuitable for the many larger trucks that use it.
“It is also our main evacuation route for people in the event of bush fires and flooding. The recent LA fires have illustrated how important escape routes are in emergencies.
“Creating hundreds of new homes is not going be sustainable until our transport infrastructure problems are fixed. There is a limit to how many people we can squeeze onto existing bus services and roads.
“We support appropriate housing development and understand we have targets to meet, but we need infrastructure to keep pace. We need to see significant improvements before we can cope with higher housing density.
“We have to address our current problems, including bus driver shortages, the return of the bendy-bus fleet, bus operator Keolis Downer being held to contracted services and the reinstatement of the full 190x timetable.
“Longer term we need to look at full bus rapid transit options, so people can commute quickly and comfortable to the CBD, where they work and study, as well as local bus network and how we quarantine capacity for Pittwater commuters.
“Lastly the unfinished Mona Vale Road West has to be finished. With a single lane in each direction, it is an accident, flood or bushfire away from gridlock every day, not to mention a safety risk.
See: Pittwater MP shows NSW Premier unfinished Mona Vale Road West Construction site
“I appreciate that the NSW Government is trying to deliver much-needed new homes to address the housing crisis, and it has sensibly decided not to earmark other villages in Pittwater under these reforms. I am very happy that most of Pittwater retains local control over planning issues.
“But, we cannot just build and hope for the best. We need to carefully co-ordinate planning of homes, infrastructure, and transport, if we don’t want to grind to a halt every morning and every afternoon,” said Ms Scruby.
Last week, Ms Scruby met Transport Minister John Graham, with other MPs representing electorates affected by the current bus reliability crisis in Region 8 (North Shore and Northern Beaches) Greater Sydney Bus Contract to get clarity from the government on what is being done to remedy the bus issues. She presented the Minister with a dossier of complaints from her recent survey on the 190x service or lack of service, calling on the Minister to address the current crisis.
Low to mid-rise planning reforms announced last week allow 2-3 storey terraces, townhouses, low and mid-rise apartments and shop-top housing within R2 zones, within 800 metres of Mona Vale town centre. Additionally, certain R3 zones in Mona Vale will permit buildings up to six storeys within 400 metres of the town centre and up to four storeys between 401 and 800 metres from the centre.
