Almost 30 trees will be chopped down along River Road - despite assurances from Tom
Koutsantonis that only tree trimming was required - as the Malinauskas Labor Government
arrogantly pushes ahead with plans to divert 130 trucks down the route each day.
A Department for Infrastructure and Transport notification issued to residents on Tuesday
revealed 27 trees would be removed and another six would receive intense trimming.
The shock announcement quickly drew the ire of residents, with one saying on social media:
“WTF!!!! No trees will be removed, that’s what they said!!”
In Parliament recently when asked if trees would be removed, Tom Koutsantonis said “no”.
“My advice is no. There will be some tree trimming, which people in the Adelaide Hills are
well aware of, especially around powerlines and roads. Some tree trimming will need to be
done. I'm not advised of any significant trees.”
A local petition protesting Labor’s River Road project has already amassed more than 4000
signatures. Trucks will be diverted along River Road from November 1.
Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Vincent Tarzia, said the Adelaide Hills
community are being taken for another ride.
“Just when you thought Labor’s River Road project couldn’t get any worse, Tom
Koutsantonis has done a backflip with DIT admitting 27 major trees will be cut down,” Mr
Tarzia said.
“Tom Koutsantonis said there would be no trees cut down, but now we have 27 major trees
that will be chopped up with a chainsaw to make way for works on a road that is too
dangerous for trucks to travel along.
“River Road is a death trap waiting to happen if Tom Koutsantonis goes ahead with his
shocking plan to divert up to 130 trucks down the route every day.
Member for Heysen, Josh Teague, said the chopping down of trees is another blow to the
local community.
“The local community is furious over this announcement because they were promised by
Labor that no trees would be cut down - not a single one,” Mr Teague said.
“We are once again calling on Peter Malinauskas, Tom Koutsantonis and Labor to abandon
their ludicrous plan to divert 130 trucks down River Road every day.
“The community hates Labor’s River Road plan and news of 27 major trees being cut down
is just insult to injury coming from an arrogant government that doesn’t care about the
locals.”
