Four Teens Arrested After Wild Pursuit Through Lake Macquarie

BY IAN CROUCH

Police have arrested four teenagers over a terrifying crime spree through Lake Macquarie.

It began just before 5.30 yesterday morning when a Nissan Navara was stolen from a driveway on Myall Road at Cardiff.

It's alleged the utility was used to tear up the turf on a sports field on John Fisher Drive at Belmont before hitting a parked car on Beach Street at Belmont South.

Officers then spotted the vehicle and gave chase along the Pacific Highway with speeds reaching 140 kilometres per hour in a 90 zone on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, with reports the vehcile was weaving in and out of traffic and swervibg onto the wrong side of the road.

The ute hit another car on Lookout Road at New Lambton before it was abandoned on McCaffery Drive at Rankin Park.

No one was injured.

Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District located the vehicle nearby and arrested four youths.

An 18-year-old man, a 16-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were taken to Belmont Police Station.

The 18-year-old man was charged with 10 offences, including:

• Take and drive conveyance without consent of owner
• Negligent driving (x2)
• Destroy or damage property
• Police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously
• Special category driver drive with special range PCA
• Not comply P1 licence (no P plates)
• Not give particulars to other driver (x2)
• Class A m/v exceed speed > 45 km/h

He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear before Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 28 March 2018.

The 17-year-old boy was charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner. He was granted strict conditional bail to appear before a children’s court on Monday 26 March 2018.

The two girls will be dealt with under the Youth Offenders Act.

McCaffrey Drive residents bypassed

BY DECLAN PAYNE

The Roads and Maritime Services today announced the environmental impact statement (EIS) and concept design for the proposed fifth section of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, but not all residents are satisfied.

Residents of McCaffery Drive had demanded the bypass include on and off ramps but the proposal lacks the much sought after ramps.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald said there was feedback from the community on the ramps.

"People had their say there...RMS do take on board feedback, but you can't satisfy everybody on such a major project."

The $280 million design stretches 3.4 kilometres and will link Rankin Park and Jesmond, interchanging north with Newcastle Road, south at Lookout Road, and a half interchange giving traffic access to the John Hunter Hospital.

Mr MacDonald said the public is being urged to have their say on the proposal.

"The community is invited to have a say on the EIS and the concept design which outlines key features of the project and assesses potential environmental, social and economic impacts throughout the project life cycle," MacDonald said.

"Roads and Maritime has prepared an overview booklet which summarises the assessment of key issues, design features, project benefits and how to make a submission during the EIS display."

The public can have their say at drop in sessions at Silver Ridge Community Cottage in Wallsend on Saturday 26th of November, and Thursday 1st of December.

Alternatively, submissions can be made online.

The proposed fifth section to the Newcastle Inner City Bypass. Source: rms.nsw.gov.au

State Government Not Prioritising Bypass

By: ARIANA GATTI

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery is calling on the State Government to speed up the planning and construction process for the Newcastle Inner-City Bypass.

The Bypass now in its fifth and final stage of planning, has still not had its final plan out on public exhibition.

The Government revealed the concept design and environmental impact assessment in 2014, and is now lacking the gusto to finish for this year.

The Bypass project set to run over a 3.4km section of road near Jesmond and Wallsend, will cost around $280 million.

The Government had promised that construction would begin in early 2017, however there are fears in the Wallsend electorate that the State Government are not prioritising key infrastructure projects that need attention.

“There has been delay after delay on this project with the Government showing more interest in the CBD of Newcastle than the Western suburbs”, says Sonia.

She also says, “The Government needs to prioritise this important missing link in the Hunter’s road network”.

                              [Image sourced: http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/hunter/newcastle-inner-city-bypass/]

Man To Face Court On Firearm And Drug Charges

BY IAN CROUCH

A man's been charged with firearm and drug offences after a routine traffic stop at Mount Hutton.

At about 10pm last night, police pulled over a silver Mitsubishi Lancer on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, with the 29-year-old allegedly giving them a false name.

The officers then searched the man and his car and allegedly found cannabis and a replica pistol.

The 29-year-old was taken to Belmont Police Station, where he was charged with breach of bail, possess prohibited drug, possess unregistered unauthorised firearm in public place and not keep firearm safely.

He's been refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.

Councils Question Bypass Design

BY IAN CROUCH

 Lake Macquarie and Newcastle Councils are backing resident's calls for a full interchange to connect the John Hunter Hospital to the proposed final stage of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass.

Submissions on the bypass design have cast doubt on the modelling used by Roads and Maritime Services to estimate the traffic flow from surrounding residential streets when it came up with its half interchange option.

The current half interchange plan only allows access to and from the hospital from the north.

The Half Interchange Planned For Bypass

Baird Government Urged To Rethink Bypass

The state government is facing growing calls to amend its plans for the final stage of the Newcastle  Inner City Bypass.

Hunter New England Health has now weighed in, saying a full interchange from the Bypass to the John Hunter Hospital would be much better than the half interchange which has been proposed.

Under the current design, only vehicles coming from the north will be able to get to the hospital from the bypass - traffic from the south will still need to use the busy Lookout Road.

Proposed Interchange Photo courtesy Newcastle Herald