Lobby group slams survey results
Fiona Brady
Thursday 5 June, 2008 8:00am
CAMPAIGNERS against a second Iron Cove Bridge have slammed an NRMA survey which found that a majority of local residents want the new bridge.
The NRMA said its survey of 400 people living near Victoria Rd found that 65 per cent supported Road's Minister Eric Roozendaal's proposals.
The motoring organisation released the survey results the day before Treasurer Michael Costa confirmed the project would go ahead by allocating $40 million to the project in the Budget.
The NRMA also claimed that public transport usage along Victoria Rd would increase by one third if the daily trip was made quicker.
However the anti-bridge lobby group, the Victoria Road Community Committee, has questioned the motoring organisation's findings. Lobby group spokesman Alex Elliott said: "We do not accept the NRMA's survey as it did not ask the appropriate questions." The community group has called on the RTA to release its community feedback on the project.
The RTA received more than 1250 public submissions, including 428 from people identifying themselves as bus commuters.
Balmain State Labor MP Verity Firth described plans for a second Iron Cove Bridge as "too big" at a public debate on the issue a fortnight ago.
Budget story about Victoria Rd on Pages 4 and 5
