Bulldozed on Bulwara Road

BY JOHN MOYLE

Wednesday week ago an Ultimo resident living on Bulwara Road claims she was almost killed by a concrete pumping truck belonging to Parkview, project managers for the TWT New Life apartment development on Harris Street Ultimo.

Walking her dog at about 6.45am, Cathie Barnes arrived at the lights on the Wolseley Hotel side of William Henry Street and waited for them to turn green.

“I put a foot on the crossing and the truck came whistling through and did not stop at the lights,” Cathie Barnes, resident Bulwara Road said.
“It then backed into the intersection of Bulwara Road and William Henry.”

Ms Barnes then claims that the truck tried to do a U-turn in Bulwara Road, and when it couldn’t in the narrow street, did the U-turn at the entrance of the community centre.

“It came almost right into the building to complete the U-turn and then it went up to the concrete site,” Ms Barnes said.

This occurred on the first day for of the concrete pour for the development, and under the conditions for the Bulwara Road work zone should have been conducted under strict safety regulations imposed on the project managers.

This is despite the original DA only approving the Harris Street work zone.

“They must deliver concrete with a sign and have a traffic control person at every entry point, and weirdly, the flagmen were about five metres back inside in Bulwara Road and there were two of them directing people across the road,” Ms Barnes said.

Bulwara Road at this point is only one car width wide.

This event occurred on the day that City of Sydney councillor Prof Kerryn Phelps was also visiting Bulwara Road at the request of action group Friends of Ultimo.

“The meeting with Cr Kerryn Phelps was arranged before the incident and it was fortuitous that she came on the day of the first concrete pour,” Patricia Johnson, Friends of Ultimo said.

Since the backflip by the City of Sydney when Cr Thalis supported the removal of the Bulwara Rd work zone, but despite this, the project managers have gone ahead, even though Roads and Maritime Services not opposing the City of Sydney’s decision.

A letter from Mr Kevin Anderson, MP and Parliamentary Secretary, written on behalf of Melinda Pavey, Minister for Roads and Maritime Services said “Roads and Maritime Services has decided not to appeal the City of Sydney’s decision to remove the work zone.”

It adds “Roads and Maritime is working with Council and the developer to provide a solution which is more acceptable to the community.”

As with so many situations like this across Sydney the reality is far different from the words typed on official letterhead.

“It’s the City’s job to control the situation and they have failed,” Patricia Johnson said.
“We have noted this to the City of Sydney and have had no response of any kind, and we have had nothing from Parkview.”

More immediately, there has been no response from Town Hall to a very serious breach of basic safety regulations by a Parkview truck driver.

“We have heard nothing from the City of Sydney and they don’t seem to care and just let this company do anything,”

Ms Johnson is also concerned about Parkview using the work site for parking vehicles delivery materials to the site, despite this being against DA directives.

“When they aren’t pouring delivery trucks are coming and using the work zone as a parking bay which they are not supposed to do,” Patricia Johnson said.