THE Hawkesbury community and North Western Sydney have been thanked for their strong response to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) display for Windsor Bridge.
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Minister for Roads and Ports Duncan Gay said more than 100 submissions were made.
“During the display period late last year, four shopping centre displays and two community feedback sessions were held on the EIS and over 100 submissions were made with many locals expressing support for the wider safer bridge design,” Mr Gay said.
‘‘Community consultation on nine options for an alternative began in July 2009.
“Three options for a replacement bridge were shortlisted, others including two by-pass options were found not to be viable.”
Mr Gay commended the community for its constructive feedback which resulted in refinements to the design.
These refinements include the replacement of the George Street roundabout, with an intersection with traffic lights to improve pedestrian safety, and lowering the speed of the approach road to enable a reduction in the height of the road to minimise the impact on heritage views across Thompson Square.
“It’s further evidence of how seriously the NSW Government takes the community’s feedback and how committed we are to getting the balance right,” Mr Gay said.
“The robust consultation process has included community briefings and meetings, shopping centre displays, design and heritage community focus group meetings, door knocking, online discussion forums, business group meetings, community mail outs and animations on the RMS website.’’
In his media release, Mr Gay did not acknowledge a series of public rallies held to protest the state government’s preferred bridge options, staged in Windsor and in Macquarie Street, Sydney, nor the petitions lodged containing thousands of signatures against those options.
He said the next stage of the Windsor bridge replacement process is for the project to be assessed for planning approval, later this year.
