Rebuild Lone Pine, says Chamber

Lone Pine Ave in Umina Beach should be rebuilt and more funds injected into Peninsula road projects, according to Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

"Lone Pine Ave is a classic example where council has failed to put real dollars into important local roads," chamber president Mr Matthew Wales said.

"This road is a major feeder road, which accommodates thousands of traffic movements a day to service local residential areas and transfer traffic to arterial roads.

"Yet, even in good weather, you can only describe the road as a glorified goat track.

"During periods of rain, the road becomes a potholed ocean of puddles looking for an accident to happen."

Mr Wales said that council has systematically failed to provide sufficient funds over the years to rebuild local roads, which has left "a huge backlog of works that need to be undertaken to restore the ailing road system".

"With less than $1.5 million spent on roads across the city, it is no wonder that we have road collapses and serious ongoing maintenance issues," Mr Wales said.

"Some roads like Fitzroy Ave in Umina Beach, which is a busy school bus route, has more patched-potholes than original bitumen pavement.

"It is the Chamber's view that the new council needs to refocus on basic infrastructure and put the 'would be nice' projects on the backburner until our roads are at least safe and stable."

Mr Wales said the chamber congratulated the newly elected councillors and was looking to working with them over the next four years.

"There were lots of promises during the election to get back to basics and the local business community will be expecting this to happen," Mr Wales said.

"When you talk to small business on the Peninsula, the perception is that Council does not treat our town centres the same way as Terrigal or the Gosford CBD.

"We are sick and tired of being the poor cousins and we will be looking to the new council to demonstrate that they are serious about delivering of services and infratstructure."

According to Mr Wales the chamber's main priorities are improving street cleaning, maintenance and security; implementing the new city wide planning controls; repairing and upgrading shopping centre footpaths; reducing rates and charges and improving roads.

"We see millions of dollars spent of the beautification of Terrigal and yet another upgrading of Kibble Park in Gosford, yet some of our busy commerical areas on the Peninsula look like a third world country," Mr Wales said.

"The chamber will be calling on the new council to undertake an audit of needs in the Peninsula town centres so that projects can be indentified and funds targeted for infrastructure improvements.

"We all know money is tight, but we have to be wiser with the funds that we do have available. "We want to work constructively with council to achieve the best outcome for the Peninsula retail centres."

Press release, 23 Sep 2008 Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce