Sensational-Adelaide.com

Patrick_27 wrote:

crawf wrote:Taken from their Facebook page, ACC meeting.

Look at all the young folk

Dear God... Look at them all!

Similarly a protest in the mall had ten or so oldies holding signs and talking to the media. How is it that the media in this city can't have a reporter to cover on real issues but can spare a reporter to rock up to these stupid protests?

Wayno wrote:you can read the APPAs full submission here: http://www.adelaide-parklands.org/pdfs/ ... 0FINAL.pdf

Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council refuses to endorse O-Bahn tunnel

Daniela Abbracciavento East Torrens Messenger
The Advertiser
May 17, 2015 10:13PM


THE State Government’s $160 million plan for an O-Bahn tunnel under Hackney Rd has failed to win the support of the local council.

At its meeting last week, Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council refused to endorse the government’s O-Bahn upgrade plans amid concerns the changes would create traffic chaos on Hackney Rd and congestion in nearby residential streets.

Instead, the council called for more detailed designs and traffic-management solutions.

A report to the council said, under the current plans, access to and from Hackney Rd from side roads including Westbury, Botanic and Richmond streets and Athelney Ave would be compromised.

It also raised concerns with potential traffic congestion on residential streets as motorists attempted to avoid expected delays at the North Tce/Hackney Rd intersection.
An artist’s impression of the planned O-Bahn tunnel from Hackney to Rundle Road. This is

An artist’s impression of the planned O-Bahn tunnel from Hackney to Rundle Road. This is Hackney Rd looking south.

Questions over pedestrian and cyclist safety along Hackney Rd were also highlighted.

Councillor Sophia MacRae told the meeting it was hard to make a decision without having all the details about how the concerns would be alleviated.

“It’s difficult to really give this project our full support when we don’t have all the details and it is important that these concerns are addressed and taken seriously,” Cr MacRae said.

“We should get a detailed (report) … then we will be able to make a more considered decision.”
The tunnel entry and exit points on Hackney Rd, looking north.

The tunnel entry and exit points on Hackney Rd, looking north.

Hackney resident Serena Coulls, who has been leading a community push against the O-Bahn changes, applauded the council’s decision but demanded it do more to formally oppose the plans.

“The report itself didn’t take the opportunity to advocate for local residents, so that was very disappointing,” Ms Coulls said.

“It was very heartening to see that the councillors were largely aware of the issues and were taking a wider view because that’s required.

“I think that at the moment Hackney and College Park are the sacrificial lambs for the O-Bahn project and I’m hoping the government consider our requests for changes and address our concerns.”

She estimates the changes will stop more than 1300 Hackney and College Park residents turning right from Hackney Rd into residential streets.

Speaking after the meeting, Mayor Robert Bria said the council “made the right call”.

“Right now, there are still too many outstanding details in terms of the impact the proposed changes to Hackney Rd will have on local residents,” Mr Bria said.

In an emailed statement, the Transport Department refused to say when a more detailed report would be released.

But the statement said feedback from the consultation was being reviewed and the department

“acknowledged the importance of issues raised by the community and would continue to work with residents and key stakeholders”.

zippySA wrote:Ignoring the off-hand disparagement of the APPA submission - I think the recent submissions from the impacted Councils demonstrate that this is a political project and not fully thought through as yet - and we must stop to think through strategically how best to allocate $160M to maximise the opportunity - I hope DPTI and Government sit back and think more broadly about this entire NE cnr of the city and conclude that we can achieve something much better for all concerned than simply ramming through a promise made to secure some politicians seats.

RYMILL Park is poised to be saved and Rundle Rd will stay, under expected changes to the State Government’s O-Bahn extension plan.



This follows confirmation that a new city school will be established in a UniSA building, as revealed by The Advertiser last month, instead of on the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site as promised.

Sources say the O-Bahn changes will be considered a win for residents, community and business leaders who have campaigned strongly against the proposal they say would “butcher” the popular park.

The Advertiser understands Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan met Adelaide City councillors at a confidential meeting last night to discuss the plan ahead of an announcement on Wednesday.

Since the Government in February unveiled revised plans for the $160 million project, which built on an election commitment, it has faced strident opposition from councils, business groups, residents and other political parties.
$160 million tunnel for O-Bahn buses
$160 million tunnel for O-Bahn buses

The proposal had included a tunnel for O-Bahn buses under Hackney Rd and surfacing in Rymill Park.

Rundle Rd was set to be closed and a new four-lane road put across Rymill Park, connecting Dequetteville Tce with Grenfell St.

When contacted on Tuesday night, Mr Mullighan would not comment on Wednesday’s announcement.

But he confirmed The Advertiser’s report on radio on Wednesday morning.

Mr Mullighan said that Rundle Rd would stay, and the proposed new road across Rymill Park would be scrapped.

The new model will still include an O-Bahn tunnel that will surface somewhere in Rymill Park in alignment with Grenfell St.

Despite the new plan no longer returning the existing Rundle Rd to parklands, Mr Mullighan said there would be no net reduction in parklands.

“We think we have come up with a scheme that leaves the parklands better off than what we have today in terms of the overall area of open space,” he said on ABC radio.

Mr Mullighan denied the O-Bahn rethink was an embarrassing backflip.

“The reason why we had such a long consultation process was to seek feedback ... and I think we have listened,” he said.

Last week, more than 1000 people met in Rymill Park to protest against the plans.

Rymill Park Alliance spokesman Andrew Robertson said the campaign, started by residents, had clearly struck a chord in the community, bringing together business and parklands preservation groups and politicians from all sides.

“When the project was announced, people thought it was a tunnel under Rymill Park, but it was actually a road through it,” he said.

“The parklands should be preserved and protected as a tourism asset and Rymill Park is the jewel in the crown, so to decimate it is unthinkable.

“Closing Rundle Rd and losing the parking was going to have a major impact on businesses in the East End, as well as visitors to the city who come in to go to the movies, cafes, restaurants and shops.”

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon had called the road through Rymill Park “an act of butchery”.

Lord Mayor Martin Haese had called for Rundle Rd to remain in place and said the extension would have a “massive” effect on Grenfell and Currie streets, creating a congestion problem.

Business SA’s State Budget submission called for the whole project to be scrapped, stating the money would be better spent on the Northern Connector section of the north-south corridor.

Nathan wrote:The reasoning I don't get from those against the plan: They don't want a 20m landscaped road through the parklands (cars bad), but want to keep the 40m barren moat of a road through the parklands because they don't want to lose parking (cars good).

As someone working in the East End, with a view of Rundle Park and Rundle Rd - I would have been very happy to see it gone. It's creates a far greater barrier between Rundle Park and Rymill Park than the new road ever would have, it funnels through traffic down Rundle St, the bike lane is flat out dangerous thanks to cars using it as a "looking for a park lane" (or zipping across it with no warning when they do suddenly spot one), and does nothing for connecting the parks to the East End.