Macarthur Bicycle Users Group - MacBUG - Macarthur Bushwalkers

Cycling - Bushwalking News

Macarthur Councils Amalgamation Group Incorporated

The first meeting of the MCAG too place in Campbelltown on Sunday 27 February. 2011 with residents from Wollondilly Shire, Camden and Campbelltown in attendance,

The meeting lasted for 2.5 hours with many issues being raised from tourism, poor transport facilities, rejection of job creation opportunities for the young to the outright lack of response to issues being raised by residents by all councils.

There has been a process of council amalgamations in Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria. Members of MRCAG will now establish contact with people in these states and also seek advice from the Sydney Chamber of Commerce.

A Macarthur Regional Council of the future would have representation from each of the council areas. Council seems to forget that the local politicians are elected based on their promise of service to the community. Council burocrats are employed by the electorate to do its bidding.

This is obviously not the case at this point in time with the Wollondilly Shire Council which has three family members on the same council and is totally opposed to any form of development. Campbelltown Council is notorious for its lack of communication, lack of imagination and poor management of a city which appears to have ground to a halt. Campbelltown Council is now in debt and looking to raise the rates.

Our next meeting will be held within two weeks, we ask the population to attend / or email any issues you may have to kenhall46@bigpond.com

Contact 02 46282528.

Community Feedback

Letter to the Wollondilly Advertiser Page 10 24 February 2010 Spencer and Gloria asked the questions:

• Why and what does council (Wollondilly) have against growth and prosperity?

They go on to say:

1. We are disheartened by the lack of growth in our small village!
2. We are disheartened to hear of a small business and landowners in Oakdale and surrounding shire areas are being stopped from continuing their business by issues that could be sorted out with council - we are disheartened by the lack of planning for growth in our small village.

Spencer & Gloria Watling, Oakdale

• Issues I have with Campbelltown council.
• Misappropriation of funds (865 thousand dollars spent on advertising, telling everyone how great Campbelltown is)
• Poorly planned / nonexistent CBD.
• Poor public transport system.
• Hopeless Cycle way system, brainless attitude by council planner, "cycle ways will not be built until we have more cyclists"???
• Disregard for the impacts of Longwall mining on the area and it's water supply.
• Weak police presence, too many reckless drivers.
• Insular attitude towards a super council.
• Paying graffiti offenders to remove graffiti???
• Absence of tourist attractions, absence of promotion for local bush land, old ford road, Georges river etc..).

Here is a list of our high priority issues which we have, and still experience when dealing with Wollondilly Shire Council:

• Wollondilly Shire Council have stated that THEY ARE WILL NOT ALLOW FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.
• ALL blocks in Oakdale excluding the residential area of Oakdale are zoned for primary production including residential blocks. There is no primary production in Oakdale.
• Rates are increasing yet council will not consider subdivision of blocks which would INCREASE council income at no cost to council.
• Land and property values have DROPPED by 25%
• Council regulations put off potential PROPERTY buyers in Oakdale
• From our experience council planning staff have LITTLE KNOWLEDGE of the locality.
• Labor minister Phil Costa has SUPPORTED the development of small acreage in the area.
• Industries which supply job opportunities for the young are being REJECTED.
• Major developers are WELCOME however.
• Council has stated that the roads are inadequate yet in the years of Clutha Development they carried 1000's of coal carrying trucks with a maximum capacity of 50 tonnes.
• Oakdale has an excellent bus service.
• Oakdale is on town water, reticulated sewage.
• There is a shopping area now with vacant shops, churches, a club, school, playing fields, internet services.
• Oakdale has lost seven coalmines, a mine washery, orchards and market gardens.
• This Council only adheres to the  developers of large subdivisions, Woolworths and McDonald’s…there is no incentive for small business, and it appears neither side of Politics is any better in this Electorate !!

Spencer & Gloria (Oakdale)

Cycling Advocacy - Campbelltown's Cycling thoroughfares - 18 Oct 09

It is three years since the Macarthur Bicycle Users Group decided to write to the local newspapers to highlight the lack of a safe bicycle transport system in Campbelltown.

At that time we suggested that Campbelltown Councils only transportation interests were with the motor vehicle. Council responded to the newspaper item by objecting to our claim pointing out the new concrete pathways in parks created for cyclists and pedestrians. Fine if you wish to walk or ride in a park.

We pointed out that the so called cycle ways reported by council and the RTA weren't cycle ways at all. In fact they were obsolete traffic management systems which created "hot spots" for cyclists rather than create safe cycling routes. In short - they are less safe than the use of a normal road by creating additional hazards at every intersection.

Since then council employed consultants (2008) to advise on and create a new Cycle Plan. The original cycle plan did nothing for local cyclists because it wasn't implemented.

Council doesn't appear to grasp the benefits of catering for pedestrians and cyclists like Australia and the rest of the world.

They don't seem to understand that bicycles reduce emissions, don't damage roads, help with fitness, are great for weight loss, reduce parking requirements and have a very small carbon footprint. They are almost entirely recyclable.

Campbelltown Councils self promotion

Council spend over $850,000 of rate payers money in 2008 on self promotion. Do they need to self promote or should they just get on with the job? Isn't the management of Campbelltown what they are paid to do?

That same self promotion also tells us what they aren't doing.

I imagine that the bulk of Campbelltown's ratepayers could find a better use for the money. So much for the environment and Campbelltown Council. One cannot deal with people who aren't interested, don't communicate and have their own agendas.

On that note this is the last from MacBUG on Cycling Advocacy in Campbelltown

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Campbelltown Councils POOR Communication

Received 17th Nov 2008

Hi Ken,
I thought I would copy and paste the question I posed to Campbelltown city council, via their website.
As follows:-
I was wondering what plans Campbelltown council have to introduce proper cycle ways into the road systems in the Campbelltown district?
I have recently move to the area and have major problems navigating the streets in and around Campbelltown.
Even when following the rules of the road I have been abused, shouted at and had things thrown at me, drivers on the road especially in Campbelltown seem to think I have less rights on the road.
I read on a forum that Campbelltown council gets allocated a certain amount of money per year to improve cycling infrastructure is this true?
Campbelltown council heralds itself on being a green council, a decent cycle way would go a long way to validate this.
Any information you can send in regards to plans, information on who is responsible for implementing these plans and some relevant contact details would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Benjamin Nash