[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″ offset=”vc_col-lg-1/5 vc_col-md-1/5 vc_col-xs-1/5″][us_image image=”81787″ size=”thumbnail” align=”left” style=”circle” has_ratio=”1″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″ offset=”vc_col-lg-4/5 vc_col-md-4/5 vc_col-xs-4/5″][vc_column_text]By Hornsby Councillor, Nathan Tilbury[/vc_column_text][us_post_date][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I have had many residents contact me recently with concerns that with the change of Government in NSW the current project of upgrading to New Line Road may be cancelled.
New Line Road services Cherrybrook, Dural and the northern part of the Hornsby Shire Council LGA. The growing populations of new developments, outside the Hornsby LGA, such as the suburbs of Box Hill and Nelson, also frequently use New Line Road to access Pennant Hills Road and onto the rest of the city.
Serious traffic snarls all along New Line Road have been terrible for many years and continue to worsen.
New Line Road, between Hastings Road and Purchase Road, includes steep grades, constant merging of traffic lanes from one lane into two lanes, and vice versa, along with a considerable amount of heavy vehicle usage. All of this contributes to queuing and congestion, particularly during peak periods and the road does not provide safe opportunities for pedestrians to cross the road, active transport or support for public transport.
Hornsby residents, other motorists that use New Line Road and Council have been calling for improvements for decades and they were all very relieved when the previous NSW Government, through the work of Hornsby MP, Matt Kean, put in the budget $70 million over several years, for stage one of the upgrade to the road. This upgrade will make an enormous difference to the lives of residents who live in that part of our Shire. It is crucial to improving travel times, reduce congestion and make our community safer.
At our most recent Council meeting I had majority support from my fellow councillors to pass a motion for council to write to the NSW Minister for Roads, John Graham, and NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylem, to request they honour the previous NSW Government’s commitment regarding the widening of New Line Road. In addition, Council will write to local State MPs to request they actively advocate for the current NSW Government to honour the previous NSW Government’s commitment.
I am also pleased to learn the Federal MP for Berowra, Julian Leeser has also written to the new NSW Government requesting the same and that Hills Shire Council will consider a similar motion to ours as part of their next general meeting.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
