local - 2026-05-26

Council Demands Action on Northern Beaches Transport as Population Pressure Mounts

A formal submission to the NSW Government calls for a Spit Bridge bypass, B-Line extension, and new ferry routes as the peninsula braces for thousands of new homes

Northern Beaches Council has put the NSW Government on notice, lodging a comprehensive submission that calls for a step-change in transport investment across the peninsula before a wave of new housing development fundamentally alters the character and liveability of the region. The submission, prepared in response to the state government's Transport for NSW regional planning consultation, identifies the Northern Beaches as one of Greater Sydney's most transport-disadvantaged areas. Despite being home to more than 280,000 residents, the peninsula is served by a single road corridor — Pittwater Road and the Military Road/Spit Bridge route — that has long been identified as a critical bottleneck. The Spit Bridge, which opens for marine traffic multiple times each day, can bring traffic to a standstill across a wide area, with flow-on effects felt as far north as Mona Vale. Council's submission identifies five priority infrastructure projects it wants the state government to commit to funding and delivering in tandem with any new residential development: A Spit Bridge bypass tunnel, which would provide an alternative crossing of Middle Harbour and eliminate the recurring disruption...