-          INNER WEST STILL BEARING THE BRUNT OF DENSITY

-          AFFORDABLE HOUSING TARGETS TOO LOW

-          GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO OVERESTIMATE TRAFFIC IMPACTS OF WESTCONNEX

-          RAPID BUS PLANS STILL ON THE CARDS

Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill, today joined her Opposition colleagues in raising big questions about the Government’s plans to revitalise Parramatta Road.

The $31 billion strategy announces 27,000 extra dwellings for the corridor.

It sets a 5% target for affordable housing, far below community expectations.

The strategy relies on Westconnex removing 50,000 cars a day from Parramatta Road, despite the imposition of heavy tolls meaning people will continue to use the heavily congested road for the foreseeable future.

Comments attributable to Jo Haylen MP, Member for Summer Hill

“The strategy relies on Westconnex taking cars off Parramatta Road but it’s only the Government that thinks Westconnex will work.

“Heavy tolls mean cars won’t use Westconnex – they’ll continue to jam up Parramatta Road and rat run through local streets, making life impossible for new residents and discouraging businesses from setting up in the corridor.

“Schools in the area are already at or close to capacity and there are no details about how the strategy will account for people living in the extra 27,000 apartments.

“Schools, hospitals, child-care centres and local roads are bursting at the seams and yet the inner west is still being asked to take more than its fair share of density.

“The 5% target for affordable housing won’t come close to resolving the housing affordability crisis in the inner west.

“The plan has no clear detail on transport. Given the density the Government is proposing, we have to look seriously at light rail as an transport option. It moves far more people, is safer and does far more to rejuvenate suburbs than rapid bus.

“I want to see a stronger commitment to the community infrastructure that would support density of this scale, including making sure we have enough open and green space for our kids to play.

“This isn’t the plan that will finally rejuvenate Parramatta Road.”