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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-09-23 Daily Xml
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Cross Road

Mr DULUK (Waite) (15:51): Sir, I ask: what is the future of Cross Road? This is the question on the mind of many in my community and, indeed, your community on the South Eastern Freeway as well who live along this popular road corridor. Will Cross Road continue to have increased levels of heavy freight hurtling down through the suburbs? Will there be large cement bridges that tower high into the skies, huge cut-outs and burrows below the streetscape? Will there be tunnels connecting the South Eastern Freeway and the north-south corridor? Overpasses, underpasses, bridges and tunnels—no-one knows what the future of Cross Road looks like, but some are starting to speculate.

The Civil Contractors Federation (SACCF) recently released their Digging Deep for South Australia report, which outlines their civil infrastructure priorities beyond 2020. As suggested by the CCF in their SA Possible Future Projects report, there are two options for connecting the Cross Road network between the South Eastern Freeway and the north-south corridor: tunnels or major grade separations at all key intersections. So that is grade separation at Cross Road and Fullarton Road; at Duthy Street, Harrow Road and Cross Road; and at the Goodwood Road intersection, which is a huge intersection. Of course, there is the rail freight that will need grade separation at Hawthorn, and, of course, Emerson Crossing.

Following these comments, Business SA put out their 2022 election wish list, Charter 22. On page 15, they say:

Business SA supports a combination of other viable options to reduce the impact of heavy vehicles entering and traversing key arterial routes in Adelaide, including both a substantive Cross Road upgrade.

In their report, they declare that once the north-south corridor is complete, feedback from the freight industry suggests that the significant volumes of heavy vehicle traffic using Portrush Road to access Port Adelaide will seek to cut across to South Road via Cross Road, anticipating the potential increase in traffic volumes along Cross Road. This follows previous comments from the then Labor government back in 2013 when they put out their Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan, which stated: 'The construction of the north-south corridor will encourage greater use of Cross Road by freight traffic.'

The Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan concentrates on ensuring that freight routes through Adelaide are efficient, and that freight vehicles are concentrated on the freight routes identified, in and of itself meritorious. Of course, that includes Cross Road. The minister at the time, the member for Lee, went on radio in January 2017 in relation to B-doubles rumbling down Cross Road, down heavily populated areas through my community and past lots of schools traversing that road. The member for Lee, the minister at the time, said on ABC radio, 'This is what's in the state's best economic interest.' The real question is: is that still the Labor Party's position?

More importantly, is that the government's position, to continue with the Labor Party destruction of my community? I can say today that increased heavy freight on Cross Road and building a Mad Mouse look-alike freeway is not in the best interests of our community. We have seen what cut-out and cover projects look like and members of my community have expressed to me that such developments will destroy our suburbs and make half of Adelaide look like a cement-ridden major city.

These intentions have the potential to ruin the character of my community and the residents who live along it. They are tired of the noise and air pollution that semitrailers create when travelling down their streets and they are ready to protest. Of course, we protested to save the Waite Gatehouse. The community came together and the department and the government saw sense at the time not to mess with the people of Waite and those looking to save the Waite Gatehouse.

The communities are very proactive in their love for their heritage, for their suburbs. There is another public forum being held to discuss public transport throughout the Adelaide Hills. This will be on 11 October at 7pm in Mount Barker. The subjects to be discussed will be the future of the South Eastern Freeway, the Hills rail bypass, passenger rail throughout the Adelaide Hills and, of course, Cross Road and many other important public transport issues that impact my communities.

I extend an invitation to all members of parliament to come up to the forum, to participate and to put on the record to the people of South Australia, to the people of our communities, what their intention is for Cross Road and what their intention is for heavy freight through our communities. I look forward to working with my community to represent their needs and to maintain what makes our community so special.

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