Residents rally to terminate M5 plan

The government’s latest plan provided no funding for the construction of the M5 extension, but Ms Keneally included it in a list of projects the government would pursue if federal funding became available.

State Transport Minister David Campbell said the government had allocated $15 million to get the M5 extension “shovel ready”.

“The RTA is currently at the start of that process with an environmental assessment to follow,” Mr Campbell said.

He said the government had lodged a funding request for the expansion with the Federal Government’s Infrastructure Australia fund.

Last Sunday Tempe and St Peters residents staged another rally against the RTA’s plans, with more than 250 people marching from Tempe reserve to an RTA consultation session at the Jets Sports Club.

The protesters are against the RTA’s plan to build an arterial road through the reserve as part of the M5 expansion.

Tempe 2020 residents’ group spokesman Patrick McInerney said the community would continue to rally until the RTA abandoned the arterial road.

“Tempe 2020, the residents of Tempe and St Peters, will not rest in our campaign until the option of a 50ft four-lane freeway running through Tempe Reserve and spewing 90,000 cars a day into the suburban streets of St Peters is taken off the table,” Mr McInerney said.

Source: http://inner-west-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/residents-rally-to-terminate-m5-plan/