Anti-WestConnex campaigners have delivered an open letter with more than 5000 signatures to Premier Gladys Berejiklian calling for a halt and review of the Sydney toll road project.

Joined by Greens member for Newtown Jenny Leong, Member for Balmain Jamie Parker and Inner West Councillor Pauline Lockie, activists gathered outside NSW Parliament House on Wednesday morning to voice their concerns.

The signatures add to a growing objection to the controversial project. Already, according to the WestCONnex Action Group, more than 30,000 objections have been lodged against all three WestConnex Environmental Impact Statements, along with more than 25,000 signed parliamentary petitions against its construction and extra tolls.

“The whole original justification for WestConnex was that it was the Sydney Gateway and was going to connect Western Sydney to the port and the airport, Ms Lockie said on Wednesday.

“Now there is absolutely no link to the port and the airport, the closest you can get to there is St Peters.”

Ms Lockie said the government website had now been censored removing all reference to the Sydney Gateway as if it was never part of the plan.

Ms Leong also dismissed the state government’s recent announcement of free car registration for heavy toll payers, saying it was using taxpayer money to prop up the corporate sector.

“This is literally corporate welfare,” she said.

Mr Parker said the $16.8 billion project did little to solve Sydney’s traffic congestion issues and locals were concerned with the extra pollution the roadways would create.

“This project will lock Sydney into car dependency and rob the public transport system of funds that could be spent delivering world-class public transport,” Mr Parker stated.

He is also concerned about the environmental impacts of exhaust stacks to be dotted around the route.

 

By Greta Stonehouse