Transport Minister John Watkins has announced a "Claytons cycleway" for the Shire: a "puny" $50,000 to design two sections totalling less than one-sixth of the total distance. And he's needlessly ruled out building any of it for at least two years, until after the rail duplication is completed.
The Sutherland-Cronulla Shared Path Coalition which represents 20 local community groups is very disappointed at the Minister's decision.
"They have miles to go, but they're inching in the right direction," said the coalition's convenor, Jonathan Doig. "At this rate it will take a generation to complete the cycleway, but they haven't even committed to that."
"The Shire deserves better - for our children, for our environment, for everyone that wants to leave the car at home and walk or ride a bike instead."
The Shared Path Coalition is asking the Minister to clarify whether or not he actually plans to build the cycleway from Sutherland to Cronulla and by when. "He hasn't actually said they'll do it. This $50,000 looks like a way to make 'no' sound like 'yes'."
"This is a slap in the face for the Shire, particularly after the Minister took the extraordinary step of writing to everyone who signed our 3000-strong petition. That certainly got our hopes up... and now this. What went wrong?" Mr Doig asked.
The Shared Path Coalition disputes the Minister's claim that the cycleway can't be built during the rail duplication works:
"It seems the government is incapable of thinking about transport in an integrated way. RailCorp builds railways, the RTA builds motorways, they don't talk to each other and neither takes cycling or walking seriously," Mr Doig said.
"We call on the government to commit now to a timeframe for completing the whole path, not just two small sections of it. They should design the whole thing now so the rail duplication can be built with the cycleway in mind. This will save time and costs in the long run."
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Jonathan Doig 0409 049185