Liverpool City Council Mayor, Ned Mannoun, has slammed a statement by the NSW Government announcing the proposed scope of its billion-dollar upgrade of Fifteenth Avenue in Sydney’s south-west, saying it fails to deliver for Liverpool residents.
The Government yesterday confirmed company, WSP, had been awarded a contract for the Western Sydney International Airport precinct link’s concept design.
In the latest announcement, the Government confirmed key features of the design will be:
- A four-lane carriageway, with two traffic lanes in each direction;
- New active transport connections and pedestrian paths;
- New signalised intersections, including one at Second Avenue, with dedicated turning lanes;
- A land reservation for future expansion, including for a dedicated bus transitway to support future rapid bus services from Liverpool to the Bradfield City Centre and new airport.
Mayor Mannoun said the announcement does not deliver “the vital missing link Liverpool needs now and there certainly won’t be a link to Western Sydney International Airport in time for its opening”.
“Going only as far as Devonshire Road leaves a major gap in the connection to the airport precinct,” the Mayor said.
“Without that full link, we’re staring down the barrel of traffic congestion stretching for kilometres across the region when the airport opens.”
He said Liverpool Council had been calling for the upgrade for years.
“This should be a direct, completed connection between Liverpool and WSIA not a patchwork of stages with no confirmed date of completion.”
“With 30,000 houses being built in Austral with an average of three cars a house, the need is clear. What’s worse the promised direct airport public transport link has the same completion date – unconfirmed.
“The State Government’s own timeline admits construction on the first stage won’t even begin until 2027 – and leaves open ended when its promise of November last year will be delivered.
“That’s no comfort for anyone living in Austral, let alone the tens of thousands of commuters wanting to get to and from work and nor the millions of passengers who will be wanting to get to and from the airport.”
In the same statement, the Government said Transport for NSW will begin the process of engaging with property owners about land needed for the upgrade and future expansion.
The Fifteenth Avenue Upgrade is set to be delivered in a number of stages. Stage one will be completed in three sections, the first involving duplication between Second Avenue and Cowpasture Road, ahead of works moving onto the second section between Second Avenue and Fourth Avenue.
The third section of stage one will involve duplication between Fourth Avenue and Devonshire Road, while future stages will include the connection through to the Bradfield City Centre and Aerotropolis precinct, and delivery of the dedicated bus transitway.
This staged approach will help to ensure the fastest and most cost effective delivery of the upgrade, said NSW Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison.
“We know the local community is experiencing congestion and delays along Fifteenth Avenue and the surrounding roads, with typical average speeds in the peak times around 30 kilometres per hour. This is why we are starting works early and phasing our delivery to focus on the worst pinch points first,” she said.
“Traffic counts in 2023 show around 22,000 vehicles use this section of road every day. That number is projected to almost double to 42,000 vehicles by 2036 especially as Bradfield and Western Sydney International (Nancy Bird Walton) Airport develop.
“I am pleased that a land reservation included for public transport so that as our area grows, the transport facilities are planned for within the corridor. This is good planning unlike the previous government that failed to protect the corridor to enable road widening.”
Mayor Mannoun was scathing in his criticism of the Government’s plans for the upgrade.
“We might as well rename it Fifth Avenue: because Fifteenth Avenue only getting a third of what it needs,” he said.
“This is why people are losing faith in planning – because there is none.”
