Member for Keira Ryan Park has labelled moves to remove dirt mountain bike jumps from the popular 'Possums' track in the Balgownie area, as "absolute rubbish".
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"I'm really concerned. This has come out of the blue with no consultation with local mountain bike groups or young kids that have used that area," Mr Park said.
"I just cannot believe we've got a situation where National Parks and Wildlife NSW (NPWS) will destroy these tracks, meanwhile they are dragging their feet to do anything in other parts of the escarpment."
On Wednesday a NPWS spokesperson told the Mercury that works to remove the jumps were due to begin on Monday, June 14.
"Works will be confined to the heavily disturbed area where the jumps are located. The jumps are illegal and cause environmental impacts and safety issues in the Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area, and also affect surrounding private property," the spokesperson said.
Mr Park wasn't buying this explanation and said he would ask Minister for Environment Matt Kean to put a halt to the proposed works.
"They are kids and they've built tracks in the bush," he said.
"Let's get real about this, they are not hurting anybody and this rubbish that it costs them a lot of money every time someone has an accident....
"Well if that is the case, you would be closing down rock fishing, you would be stopping any form of cycling on roads, you would be stopping a whole heap of things because sometimes things go wrong, sometimes there is accidents."
Mr Park added he had already let Minister Kean's office know about NPWS' bad decision.
"We need to have a situation where children are able to participate in physical activity.
"I don't think that this is the right way of doing it, especially given the fact that we don't have the managed trails yet developed as committed to by the government," he said.
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