I have been working with local residents to protect against the proposal for a mid point tunnel for the WestConnex project at the Dan Murphy's site in Darley Road, Leichhardt. 

The government is now proposing land adjacent to Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt Campus on Derbyshire Road for this tunnelling site.

Both are completely unsuitable.

Details of the sites

Here's some more information about what a tunnelling site would involve:

• The site would remain for up to four years
• It would involve hundreds of movements of heavy vehicles, spoil trucks and contractor vehicles.
• Hours would be 7am-6pm weekdays, 8am-1pm Saturdays, with some night work
• The site would consist of a 500 metre incline and an underground tunnel being excavated in two directions.
• Trucks would be driving in and out throughout the day to dump soil.
• Extensive car parking for workers would be needed (the larger Concord tunnelling site has 250 car spaces)
• Sydney Motorways Corporation has stated that the site will be contained within an acoustic shed, but an engineer advising Leichhardt Against WestConnex has stated that in the Darley Road site, the uphill slope will still cause sound to carry
• Leichhardt Against WestConnex has highlighted that the Derbyshire Road site acquisition will affect bus operations and raise health and safety issues for bus drivers.
• They are also concerned that a site on Derbyshire Road would involve the movement of heavily contaminated soil
• The site will greatly impact the use of Balmain Road for those accessing or crossing the City West Link and place students traveling by car, foot and bicycle at risk.
• The site on Darley Road has long been acknowledged by Council as traffic black spot and highly congested. 

Photographs

Here are some photographs of existing WestConnex tunnelling sites in locations such as Haberfield, Concord and St Peters:

This is yet another example of the kind of planning on the run which has been characteristic of the WestConnex project since the start. The whole project should be scrapped, as this latest development once again shows.

The government is putting up two equally unsuitable options, which will only serve to turn the people of Leichhardt against each other. That's why we need to let them know that our community stands together.

Sign our parliamentary petition

Please download our Parliamentary petition stating that both the land next to the school and the previously proposed Darley Road site are unacceptable, print it out and ask your friends and neighbours to sign it.

Once we have 500 signatures, I will table it in the NSW Parliament and the Minister for WestConnex must give us a reply within 35 days.

Once you’ve signed, you can post it back to me free of charge at Reply Paid 84125, Glebe NSW 2037 or drop it into my office at 112a Glebe Point Road, Glebe.

Print a poster for your window or yard 

Download a printable poster for your window or front yard here: