A Thirroul resident is angry the community wasn't consulted before work started on a new commuter car park in the suburb.
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Ross Bembrick lives near the commuter car park in Church Street and has written to Transport for NSW about his concerns.
He said he received a letter on April 28 which said work would start this week.
"This is the first that I have heard that this project was more than a concept or proposal to address the problem of parking in the vicinity of Thirroul railway station," he wrote in his letter.
The government announced in January it would build a 150-space commuter car park on rail maintenance land on Church Street in Thirroul.
"My main objection to receiving this letter is that this project has not been through a community feedback process where resident and commuter concerns about the planning and location of the car park could be addressed," Mr Bembrick wrote.
He also said he didn't see the need for a car park at Thirroul when stations like Bulli and Austinmer had vacant parking spaces.
Though the entry and exit for the car park will be further along Church Street than the current entry point for maintenance vehicles, Mr Bembrick still believed drivers would use the Lawrence Hargrave Drive intersection on their way in and out. With small left and right turn bays, there was the chance a number of cars leaving at the same time could create a traffic backlog.
"A significant issue I predict is how this extra traffic will interact with school drop-off traffic, local traffic of residents on Church Street and turning into Lawrence Hargrave Drive from Church Street," he wrote in his letter.
"How is this being addressed? I absolutely do not want a recommendation for traffic lights at this intersection."
A spokesman for Transport Minister Andrew Constance said there was no approval required from Wollongong City Council to build the car park and that a copy of the plans was available on the Projects' page of the Transport for NSW website.
The spokesman said they were not expecting any problems at the Church Street-Lawrence Hargrave Drive intersection. "The impacts of the new car park will be minimal, and no significant traffic issues are anticipated."
The project team was available to discuss the car park on 1800 684 490 or projects@transport.nsw.gov.au.
ghumphries@fairfaxmedia.com.au
