Tony's Blog

Local MP Tony Piccolo discussing traffic management plans with Gawler & District college Principal, Mr Andrew Dickinson

 

The budget review reference can be accessed at https://service.sa.gov.au/cdn/statebudget/mybr201718/2017-18_mid-year_budget_review.pdf on page 36.

 

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Despite recent calls by the Liberal Party, the Gawler Council selected the route for the Gawler East Link Road originally outlined by the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure last Tuesday.  

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Local Member of Parliament Mr Tony Piccolo has welcomed the decision of the Gawler Council to confirm finally the alignment of the Gawler East Link Road.  

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The Gawler community has won its battle to have the Gawler Green Shopping Centre intersection substantially upgraded, with a decision by the State Government to allocate $4 million to the project.

The decision has been welcomed by local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo, who has co-ordinated a long campaign with local traders, residents and the Gawler & District College community to have the Tulloch/Main North Roads intersection upgraded.

Mr Piccolo said the strong campaign by the whole Gawler community has led to this fantastic decision.

“We did it!” Mr Piccolo said.

“The entire community contributed to this campaign which involved paper and online petitions, door knocking and letter boxing local residents by volunteers.

“Local people have been gathering support throughout the campaign by telephoning other local residents, visits to the Centre, and publicising the petition through social media.

“On top of the community campaigning, there have been countless meetings with Ministers and State Government officials.

“We left no stone unturned, to ensure we got the message across to the State Government of how important the upgrade of this intersection is.

“The social media campaign was particularly successful with almost 60,000 people viewing the petition through Facebook and entries on our website.

“Thousands have signed up to the petition.

“The response by the community to the campaign has been just wonderful.

“As a community we can proud of what we have achieved together,” he said.

The campaign intensified significantly in recent months when the intersection did not receive funding in the 2017/18 State Budget.

Mr Piccolo said he started agitating for improvement back in early 2014 when he commenced receiving complaints about the intersection from Gawler & District College and people who shopped at the Centre.

“At that time I started to have a series of meetings with DPTI officials and Council to see what could be done to improve the intersection,” Mr Piccolo said.

“Regrettably, Council did not see it as its issue; a view I disagreed with then and continue to do so now.

“While I acknowledge that Council and I did not see eye to eye about how the improvements should have been funded, it did in May this year, come on board and join the campaign for the intersection to be upgraded.

“While my previous budget bids seeking funding for the upgrade had not been successful, the community and I persisted to deliver this fantastic outcome,” he said.

Recently, local traders and employees at the Gawler Green Shopping Centre backed calls to have the Main North/Tulloch Roads intersection upgraded, with either a roundabout or traffic lights.

Mr Piccolo said many traders and employees believe that they would see an increase in patronage if the intersection was improved.

“People may be choosing to shop in other locations due to the difficultly in leaving the precinct,” Mr Piccolo said.

“I have been advised that the funding will be confirmed in the mid-year budget review and that design work will commence immediately, with the upgrade to be delivered during 2018.

“While I favour a roundabout at the location, enough funds have been allocated for the installation of traffic lights if that is the recommendation following traffic investigations.

“Our community can hold its head high in the knowledge that by working together we have achieved this fantastic and long overdue result.

“I welcome any feedback from the community as to their favoured outcome, be it a roundabout or traffic lights,” he said.

Feedback can be provided online at http://www.tonypiccolo.org/tulloch-feedback-form.

 

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Local traders and employees at the Gawler Green Shopping Centre have backed calls to have the Main North/Tulloch Roads intersection upgraded with either a roundabout or traffic lights

Local Member of Parliament, Tony Piccolo recently meet with a group of traders from the Shopping Centre who have joined with him in calling for the Tulloch Road intersection to be upgraded and they have urged all their customers to sign the online petition.

Mr Piccolo’s online petition, calling on the State Government to fund an upgrade of the intersection at Tulloch Road and Main North Road, has been seen by more than 40,0000 people and can be signed at http://bit.ly/tullochintersection.

Mr Piccolo said that at the recent visit to the Gawler Green Shopping Centre, many of the shop owners and employees expressed their frustration at the current state of the intersection.

“Many believed that they would see an increase in patronage if the intersection was improved,” Mr Piccolo said.

“People may be choosing to shop in other locations due to the difficultly in leaving the precinct.

“I have also been door knocking in Evanston Park, Evanston and Evanston South talking to people about the intersection,” he said.

Mr Piccolo recently wrote to both the Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan in response to the petition and other action undertaken by the community.

“I outlined to the Treasurer and Minister that the intersection was a major issue for the people living in electorate,” Mr Piccolo said.

“I requested that as the Treasurer prepares for the mid-year budget review he considers funding a roundabout or traffic lights at the intersection.

“I, like most members of our community, just want this intersection fixed,” he said.

 

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Buoyed by the strong positive response to his petition, Local Member of Parliament, Tony Piccolo has again written to the Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis seeking funding for the upgrading of the Tulloch Road intersection.

Mr Piccolo recently started an online petition calling on the State Government to fund an upgrade of the intersection at Tulloch Road and Main North Road.

Mr Piccolo said that in a recent visit to the Gawler Green Shopping Centre many locals signed the online petition.

“I have also been door knocking in Evanston Park talking to people about the intersection,” Mr Piccolo said.

“To date more than 980 people have signed the online petition.

“More than 40,000 people have seen the petition through my Facebook page,” he said.

Mr Piccolo’s letter to the Treasurer, which was copied to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan, said:

“I am contacted by constituents on an almost daily basis in relation to the intersection of Tulloch Road and Main North Road, Evanston.

I commenced talks with the Town of Gawler, the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and the developers of the Gawler Green Shopping Centre in 2014 seeking to ensure that appropriate traffic management systems were put in place at the intersection as development occurred.

I initially requested that the development approval for the Bunnings store also include a traffic management system, which would see the developers of the site contribute to resolving the issues that were expected to arise at the intersection.

Unfortunately in December 2014, the relevant planning authority granted approval for the development of Bunnings at the Gawler Green site without seeking to resolve the issues that were foreseen at the intersection.

Again, when the Aldi development was approved, no steps were taken to manage what was already a busy intersection.

I recently instigated an online petition to ensure that you are aware of the public demand for this intersection to be improved. To date more than 980 people have signed the petition.

As you prepare for the mid-year budget review I ask that you consider funding an upgrade to the Tulloch Road intersection by way of the construction of a roundabout or traffic lights whichever is more appropriate,” Mr Piccolo wrote.

Mr Piccolo said that he would continue to seek support for his petition and is planning to be at the Lion’s Market at the Gawler Railway Station this Sunday.

To sign the Tulloch Road Intersection Upgrade petition visit http://bit.ly/tullochintersection.

 

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Inaction in relation to fixing the Tulloch / Main North Road Intersection at Evanston has spurred local Member of Parliament, Tony Piccolo to instigate a petition calling for an immediate upgrade.

Mr Piccolo spent Saturday morning at the Gawler Green Shopping Centre asking locals to raise their voices and join the call to improve the intersection.

Mr Piccolo said that he choose to use the shopping centre as many of the customers are frustrated by the intersection.

“I was told time and again by people that they just cannot turn right onto Main North Road from Tulloch Road, people can’t even access Aldi after shopping at Gawler Green,” Mr Piccolo said.

“I first raised this issue with the Council when Bunnings submitted their development application.

“It was clear that the intersection would become a mess if the developers were not required to contribute to infrastructure improvements, unfortunately, Council and the State Government did not listen at that time.

“Much to my dismay the Council nor the State Government listen when I raised the issue again when Aldi submitted their development application,” he said.

The Gawler East Link Road will significantly reduce the amount of through traffic along Main North Road when completed.

Mr Piccolo advised that he has met with both the Transport and Infrastructure Minister Mullighan and Treasurer Koutsantonis requesting that the State Government contribute to the upgrading the intersection as a part of the Gawler East Link Road project.

“I’m asking people to sign this petition to make their voices heard, so that the Government knows that it is not just me asking for the upgrade, but it is the entire Gawler community,” Mr Piccolo said.

“So far 340 people have signed the petition,” he said.

To sign the Tulloch Road Intersection Upgrade petition visit http://bit.ly/tullochintersection.

 

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Members of the Dalkeith Country Fire Service (CFS) have welcomed the announcement that the Dalkeith/Main North Road intersection will be upgraded this financial year with traffic lights.

Local Member Mr Tony Piccolo said that he was pleased to be able to confirm to the Brigade Captain, Mr Clint Marsh and CFS members that the project had been brought forward in response to strong community concerns.

“In mid-July, I received a letter from Road Safety Minister Peter Malinauskas saying that the intersection would be upgraded within two years,” Mr Piccolo said.

“While I welcomed the commitment to the upgrade, I was not happy with the proposed time frames.

“Following my further discussions with senior DPTI Officers and the Minister’s Office, I was pleased to learn that the project would now be delivered in the current financial year.

“I have been advised that work on the intersection will start in the New Year, with design work due to be finalised later this year,” he said.

Mr Piccolo acknowledged the hard work undertaken by the local CFS volunteers at the Dalkeith Brigade that ensured this project came to fruition.

“In January 2015, the then Brigade Captain Justin Baxter, first raised his concerns about the intersection and the impact it was having on the Brigade’s work,” said Mr Piccolo.

“I arranged for a number of meetings to take place between DPTI officers and Mr Baxter to progress the issue,” he said.

Dalkeith CFS’s current Captain, Mr Clint Marsh has continued to lobby for the upgrade of the intersection. More recently, the CFS’s efforts have been complemented by support from residents in the area and the Gawler Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS).

Mr Piccolo said that by working together the local CFS, officers at the Gawler MFS, local residents and his office have ensured that the State Government was aware of the importance of this project to the local community.

“The intersection is now carrying greater levels of traffic as more people travel in an east/west direction to take advantage of the Norther Expressway,” Mr Piccolo said.

“The major issue with the intersection is the high speed environment.

“If drivers makes a mistake, due to the speeds the vehicles are travelling, it could be fatal.

“While some people will not like another set of traffic lights, there is no viable alternative because of the risks associated with the high speeds along Main North Road.

“My next priority is ensuring the intersection of Tulloch and Main North Roads at Evanston is upgraded, sooner rather than later,” he said.

 

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Businesses and workers in the local area are set to reap the benefits from the start today of major construction works on the $985 million Northern Connector project.

Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher and South Australian Premier Jay Wetherill were on hand to turn the first sod at the southern interchange site.

The Southern Interchange is a key component of the Northern Connector project which will link the Northern Expressway with the South Road Superway and Port River Expressway.

Local member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo who attended the ceremony, said the $985 million project would help drive economic growth with substantial benefits for freight and farming transport operators.

Premier Jay Weatherill said Lendlease had formed a partnership with a number of local South Australian contractors to deliver the Northern Connector project, including Catcon, McMahon Services, Roseworthy based LR&M Constructions, SEM Civil (Salisbury Earthmovers) and Intract Australia.

“These partnerships demonstrate a new standard in leveraging local industry and employment benefits as part of this almost one-billion-dollar investment by the South Australian and Australian Governments,” Mr Weatherill said.

“Within the southern interchange, several local northern Adelaide based sub-contractors have already been engaged by Lendlease to deliver plant equipment and labour hire services.

Mr Piccolo said that he was aware that already eight former auto industry workers are among the 81 people who have gained work through the on-site NorthHub employment and training centre.

As construction ramps up, the Northern Connector project is expected to support 480 jobs a year with a commitment that at least 50 percent of all jobs will be filled by northern suburbs residents.

“This ensures that local people and businesses stand to gain most from the job opportunities created by this massive infrastructure investment,” said Mr Piccolo.

“Long-term unemployed people, trainees and other workers who face considerable barriers are among some of the people who’ve already benefitted from preliminary works including trial embankments, a realignment of the Kings and Bolivar roads intersection and an upgrade at the St Kilda and Robinson roads intersection.”

Lendlease have also created a one-stop on-site jobs, education and training hub, the NorthHub designed to maximise local participation in the project.

People seeking work or small business looking for contacts should approach NorthHub and register their interest.

The project is scheduled for completion in December 2019 and more information is available at http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/nsc/northern_connector or for work and contract opportunities at http://northhub.sa.gov.au/

 

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Tradies, unskilled workers and small businesses in the earth moving and civil construction industries are being encouraged to register now with NorthHub for employment and industry opportunities on the $985 million Northern Connector project.

The Lendlease operated NorthHub is located at 1277-1291 Pt Wakefield Road, Waterloo Corner, and is available to meet with people who are seeking work on the project.

Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo said that he had been advised that the project is seeking to engage earth moving small businesses, tradies and unskilled workers to help them construct the new motorway that will link the Northern Expressway to the South Road Superway and the Port River Expressway.

Over 480 jobs a year on average will be supported through the life of the Northern Connector project, with at least 50 per cent of all jobs on the project to go to people residing in Northern Adelaide.

Lendlease formally opened NorthHub on site on Tuesday 4 October 2016, as an employment, skills and training centre to connect jobseekers with employment opportunities.

NorthHub is a one-stop shop for vocational education and training, and other service providers to meet on-site with industry partners, subcontractors and workers.

Mr Piccolo said NorthHub will provide both classroom and on the job training for jobseekers such as transitioning automotive workers, apprentices, trainees, Aboriginal people and people with barriers to employment.

“A dedicated ‘Employment Development Team’ has been established to work closely with the Northern Connector Jobs Taskforce, to maximise opportunities for local workers,” said Mr Piccolo.

With a number of roles currently advertised on the NorthHub website, jobseekers can register for updates as further jobs become available from early 2017.The Northern Connector project will include:Four road interchangesA motorway with three lanes in each direction, with a posted speed of 110kmhA 15.5km long, three metre wide separated shared used path for cyclists andpedestrians that will connect to the existing 23km long path adjacent to theNorthern Expressway.

Job Seekers and businesses can visit the office between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday, go online to register at www.northhub.sa.gov.au or by phoning 1300 731 071

The project is scheduled for completion by December 2019.

 

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