Black Forest may not be Saved.

I wrote a blog back in November titled Black Forest has been saved, Glandore devastated. That may no longer be the case.

That is what appears to be the case after an announcement last weekend by our new Minister for Transport, Tom Koutsantonis. It was certainly my first reaction, and it is how others have spoken with me about his announcement.

Minister Koutsantonis is reported to have said that the North-South Corridor has been delayed twelve months. Delayed in order to redesign it.

A redesign that will require a realignment to the east. One which will see the loss of the “flyover” bridge to Anzac Highway. A redesign therefore that apparently will require further property acquisitions.

Acquisitions focused on the east side of South Road will be just as devastating as what has occurred in Glandore.

It appears also there is only one section of the North-South corridor affected by this delay. That is between the Anzac Highway and Cross Road. This section of road in question is entirely within Jayne Stinson’s seat of Badcoe. No other member of the Government is affected.

In my current capacity as Deputy Mayor, I am due to meet with Jayne and our Mayor.

The announcement and what it means to the City of Unley will be high on our agenda. We need to understand exactly what the Government is thinking. We will be keen to offer whatever help we can to Jayne to manage whatever this means to our community.

There is an opportunity to put a greater emphasis on one of the concerns I have continually raised (without much success) in the Community Reference Group. That is the concern about the loss of east-west connectivity. The challenge for Glandore mums and dads getting their children to and from the Black Forest Primary School.