The NSW Roads authority has “ripped the heart” out of Woodford, says Woodford Progress Association spokesman Ian Robinson.
In a protest rally over the June long weekend, Mr Robinson told 100 residents, Woodford was “once known as the heart of the Mountains but the RMS has ripped the heart right out of our town”.
His comments follow plans by the Roads and Maritime Service (formerly known as the RTA —the Roads and Traffic Association) to forgo building a pedestrian crossing with lights near Park Road in Woodford, “instead asking residents to take a two kilometre detour to use the pedestrian bridge at Woodford railway station”.
“They also now tell us that they do not regard Woodford as a ‘town’ and that they want to run four lanes of traffic at 80 km/hr right through the heart of Woodford,” he said.
In 2002 the RMS committed to pedestrian lights across the highway near Park Road and a pedestrian path across Park Road bridge (near the Rural Fire Service) —but the plan changed in 2003 following concerns from some residents close to the proposed work.
RMS has proposed a pedestrian refuge and a seagull intersection with turning bays. The community are hoping for a compromise —pedestrian lights close to the Woodford Academy, an area where roadwork is still ongoing.
The association has started a petition to the NSW Roads Minister. It will be circulated by the Woodford Progress Association over the next few weeks in nearby shops. There have been two earlier petitions signed by 140 residents.
Mr Robinson says the current plans leaves the elderly stranded, splits the town in two and forces school children to make a large detour to get to their bus stop, he said.
“Without lights across the highway within the vicinity of the Woodford Academy, not only children, but also residents and fire brigade volunteers on the north side are cut off from south side neighbours [and] the elderly ... are stranded in their own village,” he said.
Councillor Geordie Williamson, a Woodford resident, says the plan also threatens the lives of the 2500 Woodford residents.
“The very least RMS can do is grant residents a safe means of crossing the newly-widened highway. Failing to do so will virtually guarantee injury or loss of life in the years to come,” Clr Williamson said. “The highway should not only be designed to massage the bottom line of freight haulage companies.”
An RMS spokeswoman said the door had not shut to plans to making the road more accessible and community consultations would start next month.
“This is a legitimate chance for people to have a say in safer options for the area,” she said.
Residents would be able to make comments via a new website. A community gathering with stakeholders was also planned, she said.
Blue Mountains MP Roza Sage said community consultation about a crossing at Woodford was welcome, saying RMS would also work with RailCorp and council.
“In response to recent requests, RMS will give community members and stakeholders the opportunity to share views on crossing options for the highway and the Park Road railway bridge next month.”
Councillor Chris Van Der Kley says Ward 2 councillors will unanimously raise a motion supporting pedestrian lights in Woodford at the next council meeting.
The last stage of the highway upgrade is set to finish next year.
