Rozelle Towers traffic modelling “shambolic”

A State Government agency has labelled the traffic plan for the controversial Rozelle Towers development as “faulty” and “shambolic”.

The NSW Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) and Transport for NSW have written to the Department of Planning and Infrastructure stating they cannot support the revised 25-storey proposal.

The independent review ruled the traffic modelling the developers used as “not fit-for-purpose” and unable to adequately estimate the impact of the development. Subsequently Transport for NSW has recommended Rozelle Towers’ developers resubmit the application.

“Due to the complexity of the Balmain Leagues Club development application and associated access arrangements, Transport for NSW and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) commissioned Parsons Brinckerhoff to carry out an independent audit of the applicant’s micro-simulation traffic models,” said a spokesperson for the RMS.

“The Parsons Brinckerhoff audit showed several discrepancies in the proposed traffic impacts of the development on the road network including Victoria Rd; therefore the traffic impact is still uncertain.

“All submissions are now being considered by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.”

President of Rozelle Residents Action Group Mark Wallis applauded the RMS for their efforts. “I think the RMS should be congratulated for being so thorough in their assessment,” he said.

“Some of the mistakes they made were so basic, like they had the traffic running east-west and north-south on Victoria Rd at the same time. So at the Victoria Rd/Darling St intersection, the modelling had a green light phase at both ways of the intersection at the same time in the morning peak hour.

“You would have to say that they were either deliberately inaccurate or just incompetent.

“I believe with the information that the Department of Planning has they should move to write the assessment report now and make a recommendation for a refusal of the project.”

Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne maintained his strict stance against the Rozelle Towers development. “State transport agencies have sounded what must be the death knell for this ridiculous skyscraper proposal,” he said.

“It is now clear that fraudulent traffic modelling has been put forward to support a development that would bring Victoria Rd to a standstill. This attempt to mislead State Government agencies is symptomatic of the dishonesty that has marked the developers’ action throughout this saga.

“The fact that their own modelling depends on traffic lights at the corner of Darling St and Victoria Rd being green simultaneously shows that this plan bears no relationship to reality.

“It must now be impossible for the State Government to approve a proposal that is opposed by its own agencies and which does not comply with a single government planning policy.”

Managing Director of Rozelle Village, Ian Wright is overseas and was unavailable for comment.