Epping Road changes to appease angry motorists

The Roads Minister, Eric Roozendaal is considering replacing the 24-hour bus lanes with transit lanes on Epping Road.

The changes would please motorist who are angry about the road's downsizing to one general traffic lane when the Lane Cove Tunnel opens around January 2007.

The move has been labelled a knee-jerk reaction to avoid the same public backlash that followed the road closures caused by the Cross City Tunnel.

State Liberal MP for Willoughby, Gladys Berejiklian, says the Lane Cove Tunnel will open during the lead-up to the next election in March and the Iemma Government does not want to face any more bad press over transport.

"They are being secretive and they need to come clean about the future of Epping Road," says Ms Berejiklian. "They have started community consultation but the process is a farce because residents' concerns are being sidelined. Locals won't be happy until all the hotspots are remedied by the government."

Access to the Pacific Highway, access to the M2 and the rat-runs through residential areas are major concerns to locals.

Furthermore, there are fears the road will be clogged with motorists who do not want to pay the reported $2.60 toll.

The cycling community is also concerned that the planned four metre wide shared bike and walkway that is approved to run alongside Epping Rd will be axed to give motorists even more space.

Carolyn New from Bike North said the off-road path promised between Naremburn and North Ryde is "threatened".

"The planned bike lane that was supposed to run down William Street was removed to make way for more motorists who were angry about road closures caused by the Cross City Tunnel, we don't want the same to happen on Epping Road. We are encouraging people to write to the Roads' Minister to show their support for the shared pathway," says Ms New.

Russ Webber from the North Shore Bike Group says there is no community benefit from removing or reducing the shared path.

"It would be a disaster for the future and it would jeopardise all the good work they have done so far in their effort to build what should become a 7.5 kilometre stretch of bike ways."

 Given the experience of the Cross City Tunnel the government will be foolish to touch the contract with Thiess John Holland in anyway," says Mr Webber. "They could go to the courts and that will be tax-payers' money."

According to Mr Roozendaal, the newly formed Integration Group, whose chairperson is the RTA's Mr Les Wieling, will be advising the government on the best way forward.

"They will report back in due time. We are determined to get the balance right, to give motorists opportunities to change their behaviour," says Mr Roozendaal.