Lack of election promises dismays Chamber

The lack of significant election funding promises for the Woy Woy Peninsula leading up to the NSW state election has dismayed the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.

"Once again it appears that the Peninsula is the forgotten land when it comes to infrastructure in the lead-up to the election", Chamber president Mr Matthew Wales said.

"Apart from the funding for the Woy Woy wharf, it seems that we are off the agenda when it comes to any significant funding commitments or promises from both sides of politics.

"The $4M funding for the Woy Woy wharf only came about after eight years of lobbying by the local community and was hardly a new commitment.

"While we welcome this commitment, there is nothing new in the pipeline especially when it comes to roads funding", he said.

"We are still waiting for any of the promised $35M works by the NSW State Government to come to fruition after the Gosford by-election over two years ago."

He said that, apart from an announcement that the design works are being finalised for the intersection of Maitland Bay Dr and Picnic Parade, the business community has heard nothing as to the state of the other projects, including the Dunban and Ocean Beach Rds intersection and safety uprades in Blackwall Rd and Woy Woy Rd.

"We are seeing millions of dollars being promised in the northern suburbs of the Central Coast but precious little on the Peninsula.

"There has always been this misguided focus on the Gosford CBD but hardly any firm commitments to improvements in the Woy Woy town centre which is in desperate need to urban renewal.

"In addition, the Rawson Rd rail underpass is still unresolved and the intersection at Ocean Beach Rd and Rawson Rd continues to get progressively worse at peak times."

Mr Wales said: "The Chamber is also looking for commitments from both sides of politics for the upgrading of the Ocean Beach and Umina Beach foreshores which have been devastated by storm erosion over the last 12 months.

"Building pretty parks at Gosford might be wonderful but politicians should be careful about neglecting the Peninsula and the needs of our local community.

"Both sides of politics need to ramp up their commitments and deliver more infrastructure and roads funding to our local area", he said.

Source

Press release 7 Mar, 2019

Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce