MAIN OBJECTIONS
AGAINST THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
& EXPANSION OF LEICHHARDT BUS DEPOT
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Other pages on this site: Conservation Council Says "No"
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Pollution/ill health: Buses are known to be higher polluters than cars, trains and trams. Proposal would lead to dramatic increases in urban pollution for nearby residences and hence a higher incidence of ill health, particularly childhood asthma. Pedestrian hazard: The proposed heavy vehicle access represents a major hazard for pedestrians - particularly the many children who live in the affected area - who have to use Balmain Road to get to the park, shops, schools and Norton Street. Noise impact: Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and Leichhardt Council concerns about noise impact on residents of Balmain Road, Charlotte Street and Alfred Street - particularly late at night and in the early hours of the morning - have not been addressed. Figures for current background noise levels at different times of the day and night have not been provided. EPA recommendations that such developments should lead to no more than a 2 decibel increase over existing ambient noise levels are certain to be breached. Land use conflict: A large, noisy bus depot bordered by a school playing field on one side, a park on the other and residences on the other two (a medium-density residential development is the favoured option for land to the north of the site) is irresponsible urban planning. Transferring problem: Shifting the noise/pollution problem from one area to another is not a satisfactory argument, no matter how many people will or won't be affected. Aircraft noise: The fact that aircraft noise impacts the area cannot be used as an excuse for imposing more noise on residents. Unfair tactic: Residents fully support Leichhardt High School regarding the construction of its playing field - and have told the school as much - but it is an unfair tactic by the State Transit Authority (STA) to use this emotive issue as the reason for imposing unacceptable levels of noise, traffic and pollution on one section of the community. Future expansion: The STA states that the proposed new bus access will not lead to an increase in bus movements, yet it says this is Stage 1 of a longer term plan to expand the depot. The existing bus depot is bad enough, but an even bigger one would be totally unacceptable so close to the school, park and residences. Leichhardt Council must not ignore the likelihood that, if it gives this proposed bus access the go ahead, then a future expansion of the bus depot will become an inevitability. Visual impact: The STA says visual impact is not likely to be significant. However, all-night flood lighting close to Balmain Road will have a severe impact on residents. No curfew: While there is a curfew for planes between 11.00pm and 6.00am, there will be no such limit for buses entering and leaving the depot. Inevitably residents of Charlotte Street and Balmain Road will suffer considerable sleep disturbance from bus noise. This in turn prompts concerns about lack of sleep leading to ill health, both physical and mental. Traffic delays: Residents of Balmain Road, Alfred Street and Charlotte Street already experience difficulties turning onto Balmain Road, particularly in the morning peak hour. Buses entering and leaving at the proposed access point - and the resulting increase in bus traffic on Balmain Road - will only make this problem worse. If traffic lights were to be installed, there would inevitably be long delays and tailbacks in all directions. Lack of noise reduction measures: Despite being told last year, in an almost identically-worded proposal (to expand the bus depot), that the STA planned to increase the number of quieter CNG (gas) buses, there has been no evidence of this. The majority of buses at Leichhardt Bus Depot are still the older type and very noisy. Long bus road: The proposed new bus access road is long enough for drivers to get up some speed going in and out of the depot, which they will no doubt be tempted to do, causing much more noise than they do at the existing access point at William Street. Road widening: The proposal
includes plans to widen Balmain Road between the proposed new bus access
point and the City West Link. Imposing what will inevitably become a major
and busy road with high traffic levels on the people who live on and in
the vicinity of this section of Balmain Road is totally unacceptable.
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