Underpass 'over-designed, under-budgeted' - Chamber

Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has claimed that the rail underpass project had been "grossly over-designed and woefully under-budgeted".

"When this project was first mooted by the former Member for Gosford Mr Chris Holstein during the March 2011 NSW election, the Chamber raised questions over the original estimated cost of $30 million and the completion date of 2015," said Peninsula Chamber president, Mr Matthew Wales.

"Not unsurprisingly, we find the cost has now blown out to a staggering $115 million which is nearly four times more than the original estimates," Mr Wales said.

"It's one thing to make election promises but to not deliver on time or on budget is quite another.

"The Chamber is now very concerned that the project could be mothballed because the additional funds haven't been budgeted for," he said.

However, Mr Holstein's daughter Cr Gabby Bowles has defended the project.

"I think it is pretty convenient that the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is having a go again," said Cr Bowles

She said the removal of the Woy Woy level crossing had been identified as a major and necessary infrastructure project by both the council and the NSW Government for 20 years.

"It is not unusual when you've got assets affected by different levels of government for there to be back and forth between those levels especially when a project is between major steps," Cr Bowles said.

Mr Wales said: "We want to know who prepared the original estimates and why they were so grossly underestimated.

"We also want to know why the project was allowed to proceed without fully understanding the real cost of the works.

"The works that have been completed serve no useful purpose unless the rail underpass is constructed.

"The Peninsula could end up with a very expensive road to nowhere unless someone comes up with the money to bail out the project.

"With that sort of money we could have kerbed, gutter and drained the whole Peninsula.

"Instead we get a very expensive lead-in road with no underpass.

"On top of the cost blowout, the project is already 12 months behind schedule with little or no prospect of it being completed before 2018.

"The Peninsula once again gets the raw end of the stick albeit a very expensive one."

Cr Bowles called the Chamber's criticisms unhelpful and accused it of neglecting the needs of Woy Woy's business owners.

"I don't think the process is helped when you have organisations like the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce coming out against it," she said.

"I struggle when the Peninsula Chamber comes out and wants to criticise infrastructure projects that would assist Woy Woy when many would argue the chamber has ignored Woy Woy for years.

"I am not going to say process has been perfect or the costing perfect, I am not going to say we shouldn't be further down the track with the project but I struggle when the main critic shows a disregard for that area of the Peninsula.

"The residents want it, the businesses need it so shouldn't we be pushing to make it a reality and not nail the coffin shut?"

Cr Bowles said she had every confidence Gosford mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna and Council chief Mr Paul Anderson were "pushing as hard as they can to have this infrastructure project realised."

Media release, 14 Apr 2016

Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Interview, 14 Apr 2016

Gabby Bowles, Gosford Council