Councillors voiced their opposition to proposed traffic changes in Bulli and Thirroul at Monday night's Wollongong City Council meeting.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Transport for NSW has put forward proposals that sees clearway hours extended through both suburbs as well as the removal of parking spaces.
Read more: Car runs into petrol pump at Dapto
Councillors voted unanimously in support of a council submission that opposed the plans.
"We've got to show to that community that we are listening and that we're concerned," Cr Leigh Colacino.
As far as Cr Colacino was concerned, Transport for NSW was only looking for solutions that would get traffic through Bulli and Thirroul this summer and next rather than long-term answers.
"We need to sing very loud and clear that we need the extension to Memorial Drive put on the agenda," he said.
"Not put off the agenda, not to be talked about in 10 years' time or 20 years' time but to be spoken about right now."
Cr Jenelle Rimmer felt the proposals didn't consider how people lived and worked in Bulli or Thirroul, only how they moved through those suburbs.
She also noted the double whammy being faced by business owners in those suburbs.
"I think we all realise it's important we also recognise the difficult time that businesses are going through at the moment," Cr Rimmer said.
"We know small businesses in COVID lockdown are doing it really tough, now they are facing the challenges of their business coming under threat if these changes go through."
Cr Janice Kershaw called the suggestion of four lanes of traffic going through the Bulli and Thirroul CBDs as "absolutely ludicrous and totally unacceptable".
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.