No evidence new wharf is needed

Mr Matthew Wales' notion that a new wharf at Bangalow St is somehow going to prevent traffic pile-ups on the M1 ("New ferry services 'urgently needed', says Chamber", February 6) is so breathtakingly fatuous that he has outdone himself over all previous efforts.

Furthermore, the idea that the so-called Bangalow wharf has an "active consent", when the approval is 15 years old and has long since lapsed for lack of "substantial action" to implement the project, is completely ridiculous.

In addition, there is no evidence whatsoever from ferry operators (existing or potential) that a new wharf is needed at Ettalong: the existing wharf is ludicrously underutilized and can easily be upgraded, if there is any foreseeable need to extend services.

As to the argument that the existing wharf is a "poor cousin" to the "state-of-the-art" wharf at Palm Beach, I am glad to see that you have published a photograph of the Palm Beach wharf, so that we can all judge what Mr Wales considers to be state-of-the-art.

If I couldn't do better than that with a renovation of the existing Ettalong Wharf, I'd hand in my architecture degree.

Why is Mr Wales so obsessed with this nonsensical idea (this is not his first outburst on the subject), and how many members of his Chamber of Commerce endorse this campaign?

Email, 6 Feb 2017

Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy