Council welcomes WestConnex whistle-blowers’ evidence

Friday 05 May 2024

Media release
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne

“Today’s revelations from respected former Transport executives that the traffic chaos at the Rozelle Interchange had been identified a decade ago proves that the planning of WestConnex is one of the great infrastructure debacles in the history of NSW.

“Respected former Transport officials today gave evidence at the NSW Upper House Inquiry into the Rozelle Interchange that the former Government knew all along that the design of WestConnex would result in unprecedented traffic congestion on Victoria Road.

“These whistle-blowers have confirmed what our Council has said consistently for the last ten years. That WestConnex was being designed to maximise profitability for the future private owners of the motorway, not to improve transport for the public.

“We now know that the former Government was simply fattening the pig for market day, designing WestConnex to ensure the highest sale price rather than improving Sydney’s transport network overall.

“This evidence proves beyond doubt that the former Government set aside the public interest and, instead, pursued maximum private profitability as the goal of the project.

“The people of the Inner West have been paying the price for the atrocious planning of WestConnex ever since.

“I welcome the call from these whistle-blowers for the Inner West community to be compensated for the unacceptable impacts we have been subjected to. This must include urgent investment in new public transport services.

“I call again on Transport for NSW to put forward new surgical solutions to fix the structural problems with the Rozelle Interchange immediately.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Jonny Browne, Jonny.Browne@innerwest.nsw.gov.au