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PricewaterhouseCoopers draft study ..... email N Syd Council by Nov 1 – Sep 16th 2010

PwC / SKM have released the $168,037 draft report into the 3km long 'missing link' between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Naremburn.  PLEASE SEND A SUPPORTIVE EMAIL TO NORTH SYDNEY COUNCIL by the deadline, November 1 ....... council@northsydney.nsw.gov.au ........ and politicians (click on the 'get involved' button).

The study is on the North Sydney Council website ...... 

http://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/resources/documents/Harbourlink_DRAFT20100915.pdf

The study states a benefit / cost ratio of up to 4.95 to 1(page 52) i.e. for every dollar spent there would nearly $5 worth of benefit.  This compares extremely favourably with many road projects that struggle to achieve a BCR of 2:1. 

Many are saying the recommendations (page 54) are wishy-washy given the very positive BCR.

The report says the northern part of the 3km long 'missing link' could be completed by 2015/2016, but incredibly, the southern section might not be completed until a decade later in 2026 !!!  This almost certainly reflects the very limited funding in the NSW BikePlan released a few months ago when only $158M was announced for its implementation over the next 10 years.  A decade earlier in 1999, the Roads Minister, Carl Scully, committed $251M over the following decade but he was transferred to the Police portfolio in early 2005 with bike funding then slashed.

The contract requires North Sydney Council to conduct 2 public meetings to discuss this draft report.    Of great concern is that council is notoriously understaffed in the engineering section, and with their traffic engineer on holidays until October 15 (and the resignation of the only other engineer), we still do not have a date for the first public meeting, despite the November 1 deadline for submissions.

North Sydney Council has slashed their bike budget from an extremely concerning $50,000 to just $35,000 claiming they have major financial problems.  Meanwhile and in stark contrast, their roads budget has increased from $20M to $25M !!!

Send those vital supportive emails to ....... council@northsydney.nsw.gov.au