B-LINE TO NEWPORT STOPPED

TfNSW have announced  the B-Line extension to Newport will now not proceed. This is a huge win for the communities of Newport and north.

Read the detail here

On behalf of the Newport Residents Association we wish to thank the  NRA members, all the other residents of Newport and the invaluable support of the communities north of Newport who have supported us at our October rally, our flyer and letter drops, tables in the main street, many submissions and completing the on-line surveys. TfNSW comments were that they have listened to the community (whether that is the whole story is irrelevant as the outcome is what the community has been saying for over two years and confirmed by the survey results as noted below). We do thank our member Rob Stokes for carrying our survey results to the Minister for Transport.

Our next objective is to improve the bus services for all communities north of Mona Vale, especially in non-peak hours, and we have been advised  that new timetables are to be announced in September. TfNSW has noted they will now look at these services north of Mona Vale

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Survey Results to-date (June 18th)

We have delivered letters to residents who signed the petition last October asking them for their e-mail addresses so we can keep them informed and also asked them to tell us what they think by completing a short survey. We have also surveyed all our members and other interested residents asking them the same question.  The questions and the results to-date are as follow;

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NRA speak as a representative of the four residents associations north of Mona Vale to the 26th June council meeting regarding the council’s friendly position toward the B-Line extension

Please read the full but brief presentation here

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NRA Call for proposed two week submission period once the REF is released to be extended

Newport Residents Association express concern at the fourteen day time frame indicated by TfNSW for the community to respond to the awaited Review of Environmental Factors (REF). In October 2017 TfNSW announced they were undertaking the REF with it being completed by late February 2018 and that date has continued to be pushed out with the latest statement ‘expected mid-year’. Despite this long gestation TfNSW say they are only going to allow fourteen days (14) for public comment which the NRA believe is extremely unreasonable and inappropriate and the NRA call for a longer response period.

B-LINE REF RESOLUTION – NEWPORT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION MEETING 19.06.2018

RESOLVED:‘That considering the more than eight (8) months Transport for NSW is taking to issue a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) on the roundabout proposed for the B-Line at Neptune & Barrenjoey Rds Newport, fourteen (14) days for the community to understand the detail of the proposal and make submissions is grossly inadequate. We respectfully call for a sixty (60) day period as essential to obtain a realistic community response.’

Letter to TfNSW requesting extension

E-Mail to Hon Rob Stokes seeking his support for REF submission period extension

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June 2018 – Disturbing letter received by Palm Beach & Whale Beach Residents Assn from Tspt. NSW

PBWBA asked Tspt. NSW a number of questions and they have replied as per this link (Especially look at the last question and answer re the congestion of a new roundabout)

June 2018 – Our Northern Beaches Council still supporting the B-Line to Newport

Page 23 of the Draft Delivery Plan under the heading B-Line to Newport NBC makes the following statement
 Council will continue to advocate for the extension of the B-Line services to Newport to reduce congestion and provide more frequent  and reliable bus services’.

We have taken exception to this statement and position and the NRA has lodged the attached submission pointing out that we don’t want more congestion, they have ignored the community wishes, we don’t want a repetition of the current Mona Vale parking debacle and the more E-buses would be a better solution etc. Please read our submission by clicking on the following link;

Our Delivery Plan Submission

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May 2018Read the great submission from NRA committee member Peter Middleton to the NBC Transport discussion paper which summarises the negatives to bringing the B-Line to Newport and comments on how the council should really be approaching the Transport issues of the peninsula.

Submission

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April 2018 – Look who is supporting the Newport roundabout – read the letter to member David Frost (who has given us permission to use it) – we question who the key Newport stakeholders are given that we had a Rally which drew app 700 people and 1,340 plus people signed a petition and only one of those supported the B-Line to Newport, all the others said no or prove it to us that it is viable – you cannot say that is support from the major key stakeholders (i.e. the community). Letter from Transport NSW

Our letter in response

Transport NSW Letter of response to our response

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April 2018 – What do the communities north of Newport think?

read the submission from CABPRA (Clareville & Bilgola Plateau Residents Assn) on behalf of their 1200 members (submitted just after the rally in October 2017).

Letter from CABPRA

Letter from Palm Beach & Whale Beach Association –  PBWBA Letter

Letter from Avalon Preservation Association –                APA Letter

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April 2018 – REF (Review of Environmental Factors) now delayed until May 2018 following the school holidays. We have been advised by Transport NSW of this delay and their promise to have a meeting with the NRA at the time of release.

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March 2018 – Disturbing Commentary re B-Line to Newport in Final Greater Sydney Commission District Plan for our area

From the North District Plan, page 77 heading Mona Vale

 ‘Mona Vale strategic centre is a mixed use area including retail, commercial, community, light industrial and residential uses. It is a thriving centre during business hours, providing amenity, convenience and a sense of community for residents.

Mona Vale’s connectivity to Brookvale-Dee Why and the Harbour CBD has improved with the commencement of the B-Line bus service which operates more frequent buses both during the day and into the evening. Further improvements to travel times, especially for those within the northern part of the peninsula, will be made when operations are extended to Newport.’

The fact that the GSC Final Plan includes a statement that effectively says the B-Line will be extended to Newport flies in the face of government insistence that that decision will not be made until after an REF is released and commented upon.

The NRA is writing to the Greater Sydney Commission to request a written assurance that the above statement is incorrect and we have also contacted our local member Rob Stokes seeking the same assurance.

Read the full District Plan for North

Read Rob Stokes reply to our complaint

Read GSC reply to our complaint

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Update February 2018

Transport NSW have advised they do no expect the REF to be finalised for 4 – 6 weeks, around Easter 2018.

Transport NSW have also advised of impending day and night drilling works as follows;

In March, Roads and Maritime Services will be conducting some geotechnical surveys around the intersection of Barrenjoey Road and Neptune Road, and through the Newport Beach car park.

This is to collect data and soil samples to inform the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) being prepared for the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Barrenjoey Road and Neptune Road. The REF will completed in the coming months and put on public display. The community will then have the opportunity to make submissions.

This investigative work is separate to RMS drain maintenance work taking place at the intersection of Barrenjoey Road and Burke Street and further north on Barrenjoey Road, about 160 metres south of The Serpentine. The RMS contractor, DM Roads, will be using a section of the Newport Beach carpark as a site compound. This work is not associated with the B-Line project. 

For full details please click here (Investigative Drilling)

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Notes from meeting with State Minister Rob Stokes 11/12/17 and subsequent conversation with Transport NSW

Pdf of notes

Covering NRA letter with delivered petition

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Petition Lodged with Transport NSW and State Member Rob Stokes on Friday 1st November 2017 with the following comments,

Dear Sir/Madam,

The Newport Residents Association has been inundated by residents wishing to have a say regarding the B-Line proposals to Newport since the announcement. This culminated in a Rally being held on the 22nd October (following demands by residents for over 3 months to hold one). This rally drew app 700 people and a petition was available to sign which collected 550 signatures on that day.

The petition has continued and up to today there has been 1,342 signatures collected.

It is important to note the wording of the petition as follows;

I will not support the extension  of the B-Line to Newport without having a fully developed and researched plan to judge. Everything exposed to us as yet threatens to increase traffic congestion, threatens our local and beach parking, threatens our trees and threatens our village life. I want a public transport solution that works for the whole Peninsula.

We attach a copy of the scanned petition and we request that you have a careful look at comments, which range from No Roundabout to No extension to Newport. 1,341 people are saying they don’t want an extension to Newport based on the current proposals. Only one person was for the roundabout at Newport.

You will also note some people are saying extend the B-Line to Palm Beach or Avalon, in other words replace some of the current busses with B-Line busses rather than having a terminus at Newport.

Another matter which needs attention is that when the project team met with ourselves we were told that the roundabout would not proceed until there had been consultation with the communities north of Newport. Those communities have told us that has not occurred, however we understand you are closing off Roundabout comments at 5 pm today. How can you have consultation after the close -off time. Those communities are very concerned about the establishment of another congestion point and you need to ask them directly.

We are not saying don’t have a B-Line service serving the peninsula residents north of Mona Vale. What we are saying is we need a bus service for the whole Peninsula as expressed in a recent meeting between the four residents groups, representatives of Northern Beaches Council and yourselves. A B-Line hub at Newport is not the solution.

Yours sincerely

Gavin Butler

President

Newport Residents Association Inc.

Transport NSW response

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20th November meeting with senior representatives of Transport NSW & Northern Beaches Council – outcome

Finally we were able to have a combined meeting with Transport NSW (including the Director for the B-Line), Northern beach Council and the four community groups north of Mona Vale last Monday 20th November. We covered three areas, the services issue, the Newport terminus issue and the On-Demand transport trial.

Services Issue

By the conclusion of the meeting the most senior rep of each of TfNSW and NBC appeared to understand the frustration from community stakeholders north of Newport to the lack of response regarding services, delivery & routes. We contended that their services proposals had been inflexibly based on historic Opal and ABS data versus the community groups position that you can’t judge the usage of a public transport service until you have provided it and asked the community what it wanted. We pointed out the need for greater awareness of the sensitivities surrounding a Newport extension and the necessity for extension of the consultation to include the communities north of Newport to Palm Beach. Transport NSW and NBC accepted  there was a need to ensure that there is an ongoing dialogue with the community and considered responses (and revisions, where necessary).

The Newport Extension

  • TfNSW considers almost as many “for” responses to the 3 Newport consultation sessions as for “concerns” about it. We countered that this could only be reviewed qualitatively (not quantitatively) due to poor distribution of brochures in Newport, inadequate advertising and no distribution north of Newport.
  • We questioned the source of their responses as we were getting a lot of feedback from the community that their e-mails to Transport NSW were not being published or responded to. Additionally we had gathered well over a 1,000 petition signatures against their current proposal and our public response rate in the street exceeded 90%.
  • We also proposed that any extension should consider all issues beyond Mona Vale and not be prejudiced by a decision on Newport.
  • The Transport NSW Director indicated that there is a “pretty firm intention to extend to Newport”.
  • He inferred that this intention was politically motivated.
  • Current intention is not to acquire private property for the proposed roundabout.
  • Although proposal aim is for “a more comfortable” sized roundabout than kamikaze corner, it will:
  • require removal of the nearest, small Norfolk Pine
  • would extend into the bike path area
  • Putting in this roundabout is claimed to be more expensive than building more parking elsewhere (eg, Mona Vale) due to complexity of re-positioning underground services, etc.
  • TfNSW claims that the existing busstop layby does not need to be extended (even though we referred to an answer on their website to a Mona Vale query that a 100m layby is necessary).

On-demand Transport Trial

A representative from KeoRide joined us and explained how the trial would work

  • Commences next Sunday
  • 2 northern zones: one Narrabeen centred, one Mona Vale centred
  • Initially will have 8 vehicles: 4 x Rav4s, 4 x Corollas but can flex to larger vehicles eg, Mercedes vans (4 vehicles per Zone)
  • Can be booked 1 month to 1 hour prior to pick-up
  • Can be booked for repeating regular daily pick-up
  • Will pick up within 10 minutes of nominated time
  • Is ‘shared transport’ like Uber
  • Drivers are salaried as public transport employees so no incentive to go for the most ‘profitable’ rides
  • Can handle children and baggage
  • Most drivers live on northern beaches
  • All drivers security & child cleared
  • Carriage is to the nearest B-Line stop
  • Homeward carriage can be booked from exiting B-line stop to end address
  • Can be booked online or from phone App.(Phone app not available until 12th December and a phone call may be used we understand until then)
  • App will be downloadable free
  • Feedback will be widely canvassed

Conclusion

We have a long way to go before we can feel we will have a favourable Newport outcome. Nevertheless, it is felt that there is now greater scope for more realistic community consultation than the cursory PR oriented efforts to date. We need to continue to have a loud and constant voice from as many community members as possible.

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B-LINE RALLY OUTCOME HELD 22nd OCTOBER 2017

(Comments by Gavin Butler President of the NRA)

‘Our community has been demanding ‘action’ for some time so we finally pulled the plug and went ahead with the Rally held on Sunday 22nd October at the Newport Surf Club. There were a lot of passionate people at the rally with a multitude of feelings as depicted by the various placards. We estimate the size of the crowd at in excess of 700, it is always hard to tell when in such a large open area but we collected 550 petition signatures over the hour of the rally. The photos (see Home page and Photo Gallery) tell a story however the message is summarised by the wording of the petition;

‘I will not support the extension  of the B-Line to Newport without having a fully developed and researched plan to judge. Everything exposed to us as yet threatens to increase traffic congestion, threatens our local and beach parking, threatens our trees and threatens our village life. I want a public transport solution that works for the whole Peninsula.’

There are great concerns as to whether a roundabout can actually work at the Neptune & Barrenjoey Road intersection, let alone create another choke point for the communities north of Newport as noted by Peter Mayman speaking on behalf of CABPRA, APA & PBWBA.

In some way we feel as if we are being blackmailed by the Government, they are saying if you don’t accept the B-Line in Newport you will not share in the $500 million of the B-Line money and you will also end up with an inferior bus service to that you have today (just like the communities north of Newport will have from the 26th November and the Newport community will have until the B-Line to Newport is sorted out).

I would like to thank our speakers, Nick Carroll, Selena Griffith, Peter Mayman, Will Tuck, Peter Middleton and our MC Michael Peschardt.

View some of the speeches as they summarise the various concerns of the communities;

Michael Peschardt

Selena Griffiths

Peter Middleton

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Site Investigation Works by Transport NSW 13th November to 27th November

Brochure #1   Brochure #2

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Update 9th October 2017 – Transport NSW outline their current preferred option a Roundabout at the corner Neptune & Barrenjoey Roads

All Newport residents should receive the latest B-Line update brochure due to be delivered by post on Tuesday 10th October 2017 which outlines there current preferred option. We attach a copy if you have not received it (Transport NSW Newport B-Line Update Brochure).

Independent plan of the Roundabout from a member (Roundabout)

The NRA also met with Transport NSW on Monday 9th October and we summarise the outcomes of that meeting as follows;

Summary

Tsp NSW unveiled their latest preferred option which is to install a large roundabout at the corner of Neptune Road & Barrenjoey Road. They admitted there is a long way to go before they know whether it will work, including traffic studies, impacts on the communities north of Newport, engineering (though they believe they can fit a round-about in) etc. When asked if they were unable to overcome those issues and could not proceed with the roundabout they said they will just have to find another option at Newport. They say they have been told to bring the B-Line to Newport and get it to work. No final decision is expected until after Easter.

 Roundabout comments

  • Are they aware of the current opposition by communities north of Newport to creating another a ‘choke point’ by the installation of the roundabout? there response was they are yet to consult with those communities.
  • A minimum diameter roundabout, as shown, does not seem to fit without either a substantial encroachment into the Northern corner private property on Neptune, or a projection into the carpark.
  • There have been no traffic studies regarding the Roundabout
  • If the roundabout concept is adopted it would seem logical they consider feeding the entrance and/or exit to the carpark into the roundabout. What further impact would that bring?
  • It seems highly unlikely that all Norfolks would be preserved as shown.  Generally we feel that at least two Norfolk pines would have to go and one of our member’s suggests 5 large and 1 small could be lost due excavation impacts on the root systems. Transport NSW comment these matters are yet to be resolved.

Walkway issues

  • The 2.4 metre Walkway shown following the Eastern perimeter of the roundabout would further encroach on the carpark. Safety barriers would be additional.
  • To safely accommodate the 2.4 m Walkway it seems possible that it could be relocated to the Eastern side of the Carpark , encroaching on existing parking spaces and possible deletion of the centre parking spaces

Commuter Car Park

  • NSW say there will be no dedicated commuter carpark at the surf club (one of the reasons they say that is for it to meet the carpark safety guidelines they would have to lose too many existing car spots).
  • When asked how the car park would work for commuters and whether the opal card would be used as a parking right as per the new car parks south of Newport, we were unable to get a satisfactory answer, they just reiterated the spin statement ‘we have listened to community concerns and there will be no commuter car park’.

Other comments

  • Discussions re adequacy of toilets for drivers (including distance thereto) they say they have no desire to build new ones but they are yet to have discussions with the Bus Union.
  • Tree trimming on Barrenjoey Road  – side and centre, answer – ‘unresolved’
  • What traffic studies have been done re entering and leaving the Surf Club car park? answer  ‘none’.
  • The impact on the walkway and Norfolk Island Pines of relocating the existing east side beach bus stop and shelter 10 metres further south has not been resolved.

Transport NSW Drop-In Sessions

  • Newport Surf Club Saturday 21st October 12 – 2 pm
  • Outside ‘Coles’ Cnr Barrenjoey & Coles Pde Thursday 26th October 4 – 6 pm
  • Newport Surf Club Tuesday 31st October 4 – 7 pm

Please ‘drop-in’ and ask the difficult questions to understand exactly what they are proposing

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Alternate views on what the size of the Neptune & Barrenjoey Rd Roundabout would look like (Independent drawing). This plan has been prepared by an independent engineer. Also at the recent drop-in session on Sat 21st October one of the Transport NSW engineers indicated the minimum diameter for a roundabout would be 25-30 metres, and via a contractor for Transport NSW the we were advised that it would be 30 m diameter.

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NEW TIMETABLES ANNOUNCEDClick on Service Proposals

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Update 8th September 2017 – B-Line extension to Newport to be deferred until 2018

In a press statement just released the B-Line will now commence in Mona Vale in November this year (2017) but the extension to Newport will be deferred until after consultation with the community following communication of the  B-Line preferred option for terminating busses at Newport.

  • There will be additional capacity provided in the interim (after the 187/E & L87 services cease) with additional E88 services operating so there will be a bus every 10 minutes during the peak.
  • the 199 Palm Beach to Manly will commence as the B-Line starts in November (and will include articulated busses).
  • The Newport Loop will lose its through City services from the November start.

Press Release with all details

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Our letter to the Minister of Transport Hon Andrew Constance

Letter of Reply from the Minister

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THE VOICE OF THE NRA, NEWPORT SURF CLUB AND THE NEWPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The NRA monthly meeting held on Tuesday 20th June was expanded to include the Executives of both the Newport Surf Club and the Newport Chamber of Commerce and any other members of those organisations plus any other resident of Newport that our members could contact. The meeting room was packed to overflowing, standing room only and heard addresses from each of the three organisations followed by an open forum for the residents to comment.

At the conclusion of the meeting a resolution from the floor was passed with only three abstentions

RESOLUTION CARRIED
That this meeting resolves that no B-Line service is extended to terminate in the village of Newport and that it be terminated at the town centre of Mona Vale which is at the junction of major roads to and from Pittwater.

Furthermore, this decision is to be conveyed to all pertinent Members of Parliament, department heads and Council executives who are involved in B-Line terminus decisions and it is to be supported by the reasons for this community’s requirement for this action.

A copy of the letter sent to Hon Rob Stokes, the Administrator of NBC Dick Persson and other politicians can be read by clicking on the following (B-Line meeting outcome)

Have a look at the  following video which summarises our concerns 

NEWPORT VILLAGE: a B-Line to Disaster?       https://youtu.be/GIux8hLhaRM

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PROPOSED EXTENSION TO NEWPORT

June 2017 – the Sate Government has just announced they plan to extend the B-Line service to Newport (previously it was to be between Mona Vale & the City). This announcement was despite the fact the Newport Residents Association had made a submission against the extension based on the undesirability of either running the B-Line through the residential streets of Newport (Seaview/Ocean and or Foamcrest to Neptune and back onto Barrenjoey) or destroying the Surf Club carpark to allow the turning around of the buses). We have requested through the offices of Rob Stokes to ensure that Transport NSW consults with the NRA re what they propose at the surf club carpark.

The proposed new and changed services between Palm Beach and the City and Manly are as follows – (click on the link)

 

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The B-Line service

The B-Line service is scheduled to start operating in late 2017 and will provide more frequent and reliable services for customers travelling between the Northern Beaches and the Sydney CBD.

You can find out more about this project at:  http://b-line.transport.nsw.gov.au

There is also a plan for Narrabeen as well – an update from March 2016 is available here

Mona Vale Commuter Car Park

At Mona Vale, TfNSW plans to deliver new northbound and southbound bus interchanges on Barrenjoey Road, a commuter car park with around 150 commuter car parking spaces on the Eastern side of Barrenjoey Road, plus funding to Northern Beaches Council of $2.5 million for future investment in car parking in Mona Vale as part of the Mona Vale Place Plan.

The proposal for Mona Vale consists of both short-term and medium-term car parking developments.
In the short term TfNSW propose to add additional spaces to Beeby Park Car Park, whilst retaining the major tree stand, to provide 150 commuter car parking spaces. This land is owned by the NSW Government (Crown Lands – DPI).

For the medium term, TfNSW will provide funding to Northern Beaches Council of $2.5million this financial year as an off-set for the conversion of the 77 car spaces that currently exist at the Beeby car park to commuter car parking, so that Council can provide additional parking in Mona Vale as part of the Mona Vale Place Plan.

The construction of additional spaces in Beeby Park Car Park will require a relocation of the existing Scouts, Guides and Tennis Clubs currently in Kitchener Park. TfNSW advised discussions between Scouts, Guides and the Tennis Club have reviewed various relocation positions with the preferred location to remain in Kitchener Park through redevelopment of the existing Tennis Club into a two-story building on the northern side of the tennis courts. TfNSW will arrange this re-location (including relocation costs) with support from council as appropriate.

The report states there would be no impact on the Golf Course or the existing playing fields.

TFNSW is also to deliver the following road scope items to support the Mona Vale Commuter Car Park and B-Line stops:
o New left turn slip lane on the northern approach to the intersection with Golf Avenue on Barrenjoey Road;
o Extend northbound right turn bay on Barrenjoey Road into Golf Avenue;
o Realignment of the left turn bay existing from Pittwater Road on to Barrenjoey Road to facilitate the relocation of the northbound Mona Vale B-Line stop to just north of this left turn bay; and
o Indented bus bays for southbound Mona Vale B-Line stop.

Pittwater On-Line News has a good detailed summary of the proposal just click on the following link –

http://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/warriewood-mona-vale-new-car-parks-for-b-line-bus.php

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POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO NEWPORT

Re Proposal for extending the B-Line bus service to Newport

The Newport Residents Association at its monthly meeting held  on Tuesday 21st June 2016 considered the above proposal based on the information it had deduced from various reports and from discussions with the office of the Hon Rob Stokes and resolved to write to the council and Mr Stokes outlining the NRA concerns as follows;

The meeting unanimously voted to reject this proposal for the following reasons;

  • The impact on the residential streets to allow the volume of busses (which we understand are to run every 10 minutes at the peak times) to be able to turn around to make the southern journey.
  • Should the busses instead of using the residential streets use a modified surf club car park to turn we believe the permanent impact on the surf club car park for access and egress could not be justified.
  • Any egress from the surf club car park, if it was to be considered, would need to be at the northern end which would make it too close to the single lane portion and bends coming down the hill from Avalon on Barrenjoey Road.
  • The potential impact of a dedicated bus lane to the Barrenjoey road businesses would be catastrophic and also potentially have an impact on village life.
  • The current street scape of Barrenjoey Road in the village area has been extremely well upgraded to fit in with the Pittwater Connected Village ideals and it would need to be potentially destroyed to make way for permanent bus lanes.

In summary the members of the Newport Residents Association are unaware of where the push to extend the B-Line service to Newport is coming from and do not believe there has been any consultation on the benefits or otherwise of this proposal with the residents of Newport.

You may peruse the NRA submission under Documents/submissions from the Menu Bar

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Meeting with State member Rob Stokes

B-Line Meeting 29/8/2016

Representatives from the Clareville and Bilgola Plateau Residents Association, The Palm Beach and Whale Beach Association, Avalon Preservation Association and the Newport Residents Association met with The Hon Rob Stokes on 29th August to discuss the delivery of the B-Line service. The discussion paper Suggested B-Line Bus Route Links North of Mona Vale provided an introduction for the discussion that included: the importance of maintaining and improving the existing express and limited stop services north of Mona Vale, transfers, improvement of links, routes and schedules, concern regarding the impacts of extension of the B-Line service north of Mona Vale.

The B-Line is planned to terminate at Wynyard. From the 5th September, 2016 a transfer discount for changing modes on public transport will apply to Opal charges.

There is to be an improved bus service to Manly Wharf.

The option for commuter parking in Mona Vale, by increasing the parking capacity in Beeby Park and the associated impact on the existing buildings in Kitchener Park, is no longer under consideration by Transport for NSW.

The provision of infrastructure and improved public transport has the potential to increase development. The draft Mona Vale Place Plan (not yet on exhibition, includes heights of 6 storeys in parts of Mona Vale town centre).

The implementation of the B-Line must result in an improved the public transport service for the community. A further meeting with representatives of Transport for NSW is to be arranged.

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A good letter in Manly Daily 3rd September 2017 from D Taylor sums up the Newport position

‘Tell us more, Rob

PITTWATER MP Rob Stokes complains that misinformation is being spread by people concerning the B-Line, particularly in relation to Newport (MD, Sept 2).

If Mr Stokes wants informed feedback he should be specific about the terminus location, construction plans and traffic routes.

He should publish an impact analysis of a Newport terminus addressing such concerns as potential traffic hazards and projected traffic delays on Barrenjoey Rd resulting from 100 buses turning across Barrenjoey Rd each day with a concentration during peak periods, the capacity of the Newport Beach carpark to accommodate commuter parking and recreational beach users and the spill-over impact on shopper parking in Newport streets along Barrenjoey Rd.

(This should include) the impact on the amenity and village ambience of the construction required for a terminus, the attraction of the terminus to hooligans inevitably drawn to commuter hubs and the likely resulting increase in public nuisance and petty crime.

He should review Mona Vale bus depot for the terminus, given the opportunity of this option to absorb the terminus into a commercial development with little negative impact on the town or its residents.”

David Taylor, Newport

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