Recommendation

Comment

We recommend that the Department of Planning (DoP) and the RTA:

■  conduct a joint review of all road changes and consider reversing those that are not appropriate to current traffic volumes

The reversal of road changes may or may not require a modification to the Minister's approval for some or all of any proposed changes. It is the responsibility of the proponent agency to determine the need for and to initiate a modification to a Minister's approval. The Department is obliged to consider any such request on its merits. The Department is happy to co-operate with the RTA regarding the implications of any suggested road changes in the context of the Minister's approval. Notwithstanding, it should be noted that the decision to make road changes should not be based on projected or actual traffic volumes alone but on a wider range of environmental impacts related to the project as a whole that may result from those changes.

■  restore at least one direct toll-free alternative route on all sectors affected by the CCT

As discussed above, any changes which may be required in relation to this recommendation would need to be considered in the context of the Minister's approval and the potential impacts. The need for a modification to enable reinstatement of a direct toll-free route would need to be initiated by the RTA.

We recommend that the DoP, in conjunction with the Treasury:

■  review the use of open-ended conditions of approval of projects.

The Department acknowledges the argument regarding the use of open-ended conditions and potential funding implications. In particular open-ended conditions have tended to deal with issues related to air quality management, future changes in standards and the need for other actions including upgrading or retrofitting to meet those standards. The Department recognises the need to have flexible conditions in these instances to enable future standards to be applied. Like the issue for funding of public domain improvements, there may be scope for a more holistic approach to funding components of projects through mechanisms other than a toll such as the public domain improvements.

We recommend that the DoP and the RTA:

■  improve the consultation process for major projects.

The commencement of Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act provides opportunity for the Minister to approve concept plans for projects. This process is intended to enable greater community and other stakeholder input at an early stage of a proposal's development than is currently the case.

The Department also recognises that, in the case of the Cross City Tunnel, a comprehensive consultation process was undertaken and the impacts of the proposal were relatively well understood, the broader community and road users general particularly those wanting to access the harbour crossings were not understood until the road changes had been made.

The Department is willing to work with the RTA and other agencies to identify mechanisms to ensure that the potential implications of future projects are appropriately communicated.