New Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby visited the unfinished section of the Mona Vale Road West with NSW Premier Chris Minns on Saturday November 23 2024. Work on the road stopped when the Minns government decided not to fund the road upgrade between Terrey Hills and Ingleside in the budget after winning the 2023 election.
“Since being elected I’ve met with both the Premier and the Minister for Roads, John Graham advocating for Mona Vale Road West to be prioritised. The single lane in each direction doesn’t just cause traffic congestion, it is dangerous and it’s only a matter of time before we have a fatality.
The risk is even higher when it comes to bushfire, with Mona Vale Road being the main evacuation route for people in Terrey Hills, Duffys Forest and Ingleside.”
“I wanted the Premier to see the mess we have been left with, and to understand the risks. It’s one of our major routes in and out of Pittwater, and it’s simply been abandoned mid-project, with just one narrow lane each way causing significant traffic bottlenecks and making it an accident blackspot.”
Funding for the upgrade was withdrawn to address a budget deficit, following the 2023 NSW Independent Strategic Infrastructure Review, which found other projects in Sydney had greater need.
“I know the whole community is fed up and wants to see confirmation the project will be completed, it’s my job to fight for it. In the meantime, we at least need to make it safe and reduce environmental risk like sediment runoff.”
Ms Scruby said she was grateful that the Premier had come to visit the site only two weeks after she was sworn in. “I do appreciate the Premier making time to visit the Mona Vale Road site for the first time. It’s a very small step – but it’s in the right direction.”
A review of the broader Northern Beaches Road network is due to be released before the end of the year. However, Ms Scruby said she’s not waiting and is working hard to build a compelling case for the project to get finished, including gathering accident data, applying for further information under freedom of information regulations and submitting questions on notice to the Minister, as well as calling on the community for support by signing a new petition – https://www.jacquiscruby.com.au/finish_mona_vale_rd_petition.
Ms Scruby noted that the thousands of petition signatures previously obtained by the former MP for Pittwater were never presented to the Minister and are now lost.
“I need to rebuild evidence of the community’s support and urge everyone to sign the petition, even if they signed before. Unfortunately, the previous petition is no longer, so we have to start from scratch, ” she explained.
Jacqui took the Premier to see the abandoned works, following their joint visit to local business Shortees at Terrey Hills, where they met local owners and management, Moe Mathew, Scott Williams, Chris Searle and co-founder Clint Newton of Rugby League fame.
Shortees, the iconic ‘day/night’ 18 hole Par 3 golf course in Terrey Hills, is reinventing golf to be trendy, accessible and fun with DJs regularly playing and plans for events in the new year. It’s also sought after as a professional short course where experts flock to hone their game.
The renovated facilities showcase terrific use of community greenspace and makes golf accessible to young and old, from novices to professionals like Australian PGA Tour professional Cam Davis, who learned to play at Shortees, and a place to connect with friends or meet new ones via the various events held throughout the year.
“The revamped Shortees is the product of well-known creative locals and it’s no wonder it’s so loved by all ages and abilities. It was a pleasure to meet the team there, hear their vision for the existing site and beyond, and of course tell Chris Minns how Pittwater thinks things should be done - both on and off the golf course.”