Council fails to save trees

Council fails to save trees
A row of five trees on Broadway have been axed, despite protests from the City of Sydney.
Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has begun work slicing a metre from the footpath to make way for a right-turn traffic lane servicing the Central Park development across the road in the former brewery site.
A spokesperson for City of Sydney said;  “The City opposed the narrowing of the footpath because it is a major pedestrian thoroughfare outside the UTS campus and a main artery into central Sydney.
“The City of Sydney met with the State Government many times over a 12 month period and exchanged letters and phone calls in an effort to save this section of the footpath.”
An RMS spokesperson said, “The local community was consulted about the upgrade by Frasers [Property] Broadway before work started.”
The November update on Central Park’s website says: “The footpath narrowing will require six trees to be removed,” indicating another tree may be facing the axe.
The university’s Campus Development Communications Manager, James Stuart, said RMS chose the footpath on the UTS side because the path outside Central Park couldn’t be narrowed any further.
The website for the Central Park Development states: “The University of Technology Sydney will be replanting street trees before the footpath work is completed.”
But Mr Stuart has questioned UTS’ responsibility.
The RMS spokesperson also said UTS were responsible for the project but the City of Sydney has placed the onus on the developers.
Co-convenor of Pyrmont-Ultimo Landcare, Elizabeth Elenius, said although she had no knowledge of the Broadway road works and the tree axing, she wasn’t bothered by the removal of any Plane trees.
“They cause really severe allergies – the Asthma Foundation put out a warning.”
Ms Elenius would prefer to see indigenous trees planted in their place.
The spokesperson for Sydney City Council said the new plantings would be Southern Huckberries, a hardy, drought-resistant North American species.
The road works will take out the median strip used by UTS students and staff when crossing over to the bus stop and will permanently close access from Broadway to Jones St.
The RMS said if weather permits the Broadway upgrade should finish in around three months.
By Rosemary Hill

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