PlanningAlerts

11 Comments

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1. Given that traffic often banks up in Fullers Rd at the Pacific Highway lights, limiting access to/from View St, especially during hours parents would be accessing this facility, I wonder how access is going to work, and if this is not just going to create more difficulty in an alrady busy piece of road?

2. Residents around the area have two roads leading out to Fullers Road (Anglo St and View Street). Both are already very congested especially during pick up/drop offs with:
   - a daycare centre at the intersection Anglo and Fullers.
   - a school at the intersection of View and Fullers.
   This congestion, on top of cars that are already banked up along Fullers road lead to significant delays for residents and parents alike. Adding another daycare and further increases in traffic during these specific times sound extremely unpleasant.

3. The already existing school at the intersection of View St and Fullers Rd and the current daycare centre at the intersection of Anglo St and Fullers Rd, cause unnecessary heavy traffic congestion on both View St and Anglo St.

   Both of these establishments cause significant traffic congestion for local residents being extremely unpleasant and irritating.

   Having another daycare centre will add onto the already congested road. This will cause unnecessary additional traffic backlog for Fullers Rd, already being packed with traffic especially during peak hours.
   This will cause even more inconvenience and unnecessary delays to local residents, categorizing a peaceful residential area as a high traffic zone.

4. I agree with all the above comments, having an additional child care centre in this residential area will only worsen traffic congestion for local residents and for commuters on Fullers Road, and create major inconveniences for us local residents.

5. This proposed childcare will have a significant impact on traffic in the area.

   1. Heading westbound on Fullers road, there is only room for 2 cars waiting to turn right on to View St during the morning peak with tidal lanes. The moment more than 2 cars are waiting, Fullers road is completely blocked westbound impacting a major arterial road and further reducing flow through the whole pacific Hwy intersection complex.

   2. View st is narrow with parked cars on one side. There is barely enough room for two way flow. With the planned driveway width, although technically wide enough for 2 cars, practically does not allow for cars coming in and out at the same time due to the narrow angle required. This means view St gets blocked up. Cars coming out of the driveway hesitate and struggle to get out causing gridlock. They end up cutting across the grass (evident with the tyre marks now) to get out.

   3. From View St, turning left or right on Fullers Rd is challenging in the morning peak. Usually only 1-2 cars get out per traffic light cycle at pacific hwy. cars trying to turn left on Fullers trying to get to the far right lane to turn right on pacific usually ends up waiting until traffic is completely stopped on fullers and only being able to partially enter fullers.

   ANY increase in traffic in this complex and challenging intersection will result in drivers taking addiction risks trying to get through. There have been a number of crashes here over the years. This proposed childcare centre introduces a higher likelihood of crashes resulting in serious injury or even death.

6. This proposed childcare will have a significant impact on traffic in the area.

   1. Heading westbound on Fullers road, there is only room for 2 cars waiting to turn right on to View St during the morning peak with tidal lanes. The moment more than 2 cars are waiting, Fullers road is completely blocked westbound impacting a major arterial road and further reducing flow through the whole pacific Hwy intersection complex.

   2. View st is narrow with parked cars on one side. There is barely enough room for two way flow. With the planned driveway width, although technically wide enough for 2 cars, practically does not allow for cars coming in and out at the same time due to the narrow angle required. This means view St gets blocked up. Cars coming out of the driveway hesitate and struggle to get out causing gridlock. They end up cutting across the grass (evident with the tyre marks now) to get out.

   3. From View St, turning left or right on Fullers Rd is challenging in the morning peak. Usually only 1-2 cars get out per traffic light cycle at pacific hwy. cars trying to turn left on Fullers trying to get to the far right lane to turn right on pacific usually ends up waiting until traffic is completely stopped on fullers and only being able to partially enter fullers.

   ANY increase in traffic in this complex and challenging intersection will result in drivers taking addiction risks trying to get through. There have been a number of crashes here over the years. This proposed childcare centre introduces a higher likelihood of crashes resulting in serious injury or even death.

7. I would like to support the comments about traffic congestion and I oppose this application.

8. Fullers Road and Pacific Highway Grid lock
   It’s obvious to anyone who currently uses Fullers road either as a resident or a commuter that the proposed 55 place Hillsong Childcare centre in View Street will push the existing congestion at the intersection of Fullers Road and the Pacific Highway to an unsatisfactory level with excessive queuing.
   • “The Traffic Impact Assessment” prepared by The Transport Planning Partnership (ttpp) prepared for the Hillsong Church acknowledges in their survey that the intersection of Fullers Road and the Pacific Highway is already nearing compacity.
   • Their survey also acknowledges that the intersection of Fullers Road and View Street is beyond compacity with an unsatisfactory level of excessive queuing.
   Despite the Traffic Impact Assessment survey results, the report still concludes that. “Overall, the proposed development is not expected to result in adverse impacts on the road network.” I am baffled how they can come to this conclusion after seeing their survey results.

   Increased Peak hour Traffic
   “The Traffic Impact Assessment” acknowledges the Hillsong Childcare Centre will increase the volume of cars entering and leaving Fullers Road by an extra 44 cars in and out each morning between 7:30 am and 10:00 am and an extra 38 cars in and out every afternoon between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm. This is an extra 164 cars per day during peak hour at the intersection of Fullers Road and View Street which their survey acknowledge is already beyond compacity.

   Long Day Care hours as opposed to School Hours
   A Childcare Centre that is open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm cannot be compared to a Primary School whose hours are 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Childcare parents will be dropping off and picking up their children during the peak hours unlike school parents who are dropping off after the morning rush and picking up before the afternoon peak hours. These two establishments don’t generate the same traffic conditions.

   Fullers Road Plight
   Originally Fullers Road was a quiet residential road with cars parked either side and families felt safe while crossing Fullers Road at any point between the Pacific highway and Greville St. In the early 2000’s the M2 was joined to the lane Cove Tunnel and an exit from the M2 was made into Delhi Road. This resulted in Delhi Road, Millwood Avenue and Fullers Road becoming the only link road between the M2 in Ryde and the Pacific highway, in Chatswood.
   The volume of traffic that this link road has generated is well beyond the capacity of these single lane Roads. Over the last 20 years the traffic has continued to increase creating daily accidents and a grid lock at the intersection of Fullers Road and the Pacific highway.

   Fullers Road has become a barrier, dividing West Chatswood into two suburbs north and south of Fullers Road. It is fair to say the local residences of west Chatswood have been severely impacted by Fullers Rd becoming a major link road between the M2 the Pacific highway.
   • The local Primary and High school are both located on the south side of Fullers Road.
   • The school children who live north of Fullers Road can’t walk to school anymore because of the fast constant traffic on Fullers Road.
   • Pedestrians must use the traffic lights to cross Fullers Road now, which are over a kilometer apart. One set at the Pacific highway to the east and another set of lights at Greville Street to the west.
   • Even motorist have difficulty finding a window of opportunity to entre Fullers Rd from a side street between the Pacific highway and Greville Street.
   • The constant congestion entering and leaving Fullers Road at the Pacific highway has made travel times unreliable in and out of West Chatswood.

   RMS concerned about the number of Accidents on Fullers Road.
   In 2011 the RMS consulted with the local residences in west Chatswood to improve the safety on and around Fullers Road between the Pacific highway and Davies Street. This was the result of frequent serious accidents occurring as cars tried to entre Fullers Road from the side streets between the Pacific highway and Davies Street. The intersection of Park Ave and Fullers Road were a major concern. This investigation resulted in converting the two west bound lanes into one lane and installing turning bays at Anglo St, Mclean Ave and Park Ave as well as pedestrian islands and reducing the speed on Fullers Road to 50 kilometers.

   Fullers Road congestion impacting on the Pacific highway
   The grid lock at the intersection of Fullers Road and Pacific highway has created a ripple effect resulting in extended congested conditions affecting both east– west traffic on Fullers Road and also the north-south movement of queued cars on the Pacific Highway waiting to turn into Fullers Road. It has also impacted on the west bound traffic trying to leave Chatswood via Help Street. Even with two lanes the cars in Help Street are queued beyond Railway Street in the afternoon.

   RMS concerned about Congestion between Chatswood and Macquarie Park
   In 2019 the RMS installed new clearways on Delhi Road, Millwood Avenue and Fullers Road between Epping Road, and the Pacific Highway at Chatswood in an effort to improve the journey times between Chatswood and Macquarie Park and reduce congestion.
   They also extended the clearways on the Pacific Highway between Fullers Road in Chatswood to Boundary Street in Roseville.
   It is obvious that the RMS recognises the serious traffic problems on Fullers Road and how the traffic congestion issues are spilling over to impact on the Pacific Highway.
   As there is a lack of options to divert this traffic problem on Fullers Road the residences of West Chatswood are stuck with this problem but that doesn’t mean it is a fait accompli. It is unreasonable to allow another development that will increase the volume of cars entering and leaving Fullers Road.

   Cars entering Fullers Road From View Street
   Despite the RMS effort to improve the traffic flow out of Fullers Road onto the Pacific Highway in the morning between 6:00 am and 10:00 am by creating four east bound lanes, motorists are still stuck in a car park from Greville Street to the Pacific Highway. The last thing these frustrated motorists need is 44 more cars each morning and 38 cars each afternoon pushing in front of them at View Street adding to their delay to exit Fullers Road onto the highway.

   Roadblock caused by traffic entering View St
   “The Traffic Impact Assessment” acknowledges, “There are five travel lanes across Fullers Road west of Pacific Highway. Tidal flow arrangement is in place during the morning peak period (6-10 am) to provide four eastbound lanes (including two right turn lanes) and one westbound lane on Fullers Road”
   This single westbound lane finishes west of View street and there isn’t a right hand turning bay at View Street. This means each time a westbound car stops to turn right into View Street every car behind them will have to stop. They will have to wait until the four east bound lanes come to a standstill before they can cross into View street. This will limit the number of cars entering Fuller Road from the Pacific Highway per traffic light change creating even longer ques and waiting times north and south along the highway. In turn this will impact on the traffic flow on the Pacific Highway.

   Respect for Local Residences
   “The Traffic Impact Assessment” on one hand claims the new 55 place centre will cause minimal congestions but if it does become a problem just cut through the local streets. “The new Hillsong Child Care Centre would only cause a minimal increase to the congestion but if the delay becomes excessive, realistically motorists may take an alternative route such as Anglo Street or loop around the block on the east side of Pacific Highway to minimise travel time.
   It is not ok to suggest Hillsong parents can “take an alternative route such as Anglo Street”. Why should the local residences of Anglo St and Tessa Street be inconvenience and have their streets become a thoroughfare for people who don’t live in the local area.

   Traffic report is focused on the centre families
   From the quote above “but if the delay becomes excessive, realistically motorists may take an alternative route such as Anglo Street”. This is referring to the Hillsong families having to wait to cross the four lanes into View St. What about the existing motorists who are stuck behind these right hand turning cars? They are the ones being inconvenienced.

   Demand for another Childcare Centre in the Area
   Chatswood already has 7 Childcare centres west of Chatswood train line and they are all within three blocks of the proposed Hillsong Centre. All of these centres have vacancies except for one service, so there isn’t a demand for another centre in the area.

9. Having being a resident for over 40 years, and knowing the impact of turning into Fullers Road every morning , it can take me up to ten minutes to get out . There is no council consideration the residents and the impact of development. There are already 30 childcare centres in Chatswood alone with over 2/3 thirds with vacancies , Refer to Toddle and Care for Kids. Do we need more ? What is next ? A church ? There is already a centre 2 streets back . There is enough going on with the redevelopment of the schools and Centennial Ave and getting out in the morning without adding to the burden of more infrastructure that conflicts with our already significantly impacted, overloaded roads.

10. This area is already dealing with massive traffic flow issues. Traffic coming from Anglo St and View St onto Fullers already banks up quickly, especially when turning right down the hill. The streets are narrow and there is no room for multiple egress lanes. Fullers Road traffic goes all the way down the hill into Chatswood West.

    Fullers Rd has become a major arterial road. The noise, congestion, dangerous turning & crossing conditions and degraded road surface all reflect this. The area around the top of Fullers Rd should not be developed or given to any activity that might increase traffic or impede access for residents. It is also dangerous for pedestrians around View and Anglo st. Cars turn in quickly with ambiguous indicating due to the left turn lane onto pacific hwy from Fullers. It is a VERY busy area.

    Consider also that drivers will likely try to avoid the area and instead try to use Centennial Avenue to access Pacific hwy southbound & Albert Ave. This is undesirable for two reasons. Firstly, the right turn lines from Fullers into Edgar Street and Park Avenue are very busy and dangerous at the best of times. It is also dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists in the area. Secondly, Centennial Avenue is extremely busy, especially around school times. It is a narrow street with many children and families on foot and alighting from cars etc. The massive expansion of the local public and high schools (both in Centennial Avenue) make any unnecessary increase in traffic highly undesirable. On a school day, uphill traffic on centennial is often banked up almost to Carr Street, definitely past Jenkins and to Edgar st. This area of Chatswood cannot cope with any more increase traffic, and it is hard to avoid traffic coming in from the vicinity of Macquarie Park. Therefore, everything local and state governments can do to minimise local traffic – including by avoiding developments/planning changes such as the one suggested- should be done.

11. The current Pacific Highway/Fullers intersection is above capacity. As a long-term Chatswood resident who uses Fulles Road virtually every day, the traffic has reached dangerous levels. This is particularly an issue for right-turning traffic in View Street/Lane, turning traffic blocks through traffic, throttling traffic flow, and in my opinion, causes a serious accident risk.

    Fullers road has become a major through road and at peak times, congestion, noise, and pollution is a blight on the area and presents real hazards for motorists, pedestrians, and residents.

    The addition of a daycare center in this area will only add more cars, more turning traffic, and more hazards, which it does not need. While I have no issue with adding day-care centers, their proposed location needs a holistic planning approach that includes modification/alleviation of traffic in the surrounding area. Until Fullers Road/Pacific high congestion is addressed, this proposal should not go ahead.
    

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