MORE than 150 South Western Sydney residents queued to sign a petition to parliament protesting the planned WestCONnex toll roads, green space destruction, and poison stacks planned throughout Kingsgrove and Bexley North.

Last night marked the official launch of the Stop WestCONnex Petition, which will be presented to Parliament demanding a halt to the toll road, and release of the full business case.

Residents packed the Kingsgrove Parish Hall to capacity to voice concerns about how the WestCONnex toll road would severely affect the quality of life in the South West Sydney suburbs.

Local members of Parliament for Kogarah, Newtown, and NSW parliament upper house members attended the community meeting to shed light on the secrecy surrounding WestCONnex plans.

Westconnex Action Group Beverley Hills organiser Kathy Calman said the local community was deeply concerned about WestCONnex, and wants an immediate halt to the toll road.

“We expected around 40 people but were left scrambling for seats when more than 150 people packed the Kingsgrove Parish Hall,” said Ms Calman.

“Given that the average age of the residents at this meeting was around 65, it was proof that these concerns are very real, and hardly just the so-called latte-sipping inner city residents that the Minister pretends are the sole opposition to this toll road.

“We are working with communities across Sydney to stop this $15 billion polluting toll way, and we demand better for our city’s transport needs.

“The fact that people were queueing up to sign this petition shows a strong feeling against WestCONnex as a project that threatens our quality of life and the look and feel of our suburbs.

“No one in South West Sydney wants our community space to be an afterthought to a toll road and pollution stacks.

“We now have a broad group of people who are well informed about the broader impacts of WestCONnex, and are ready to take a stand against it,” Ms Calman said.

Media contact: Garth Montgomery 0408 864 851