Mr MIKE BAIRD (Manly) [2.15 p.m.]: Once again I raise an issue of great concern to the people of Manly and the northern beaches that has been ignored for a long time. I refer to a long-awaited solution to the problems of The Spit corridor. It is two years since this Government was re-elected. It promised a partial fix for The Spit corridor, but once it was in office it was scrapped. Yesterday I competed in my annual Fix the Spit run to establish whether it is quicker to cover that distance by foot or by car. It was a dead heat yesterday. The point of the run is to reinforce the fact that it is a toss of a coin as to whether it is quicker to travel by car or run, and that this situation should be addressed.

This Government has another two years in office and I implore it not to waste that time. I have met with the Minister for Roads and offered my support in working with him to find the best solution. The Ministry of Transport is analysing a proposal for the corridor. We must ensure that the modelling is accurate and public transport must be a critical part of any final plan. If the proposal does not have public transport at its core it might as well be scrapped now. The community, which is desperate for a solution, must be involved in this process. People want a say in a proposal that may well reduce traffic congestion and improve public transport. The tale of The Spit Bridge is pitiful and it has caused much grief for the people of the northern beaches.

Numerous solutions have been suggested over the years, but nothing ever happens. The most recent hope was a promise to widen the bridge. The Labor Government promised that, even though the Roads and Traffic Authority said it should not. However, when the budget was handed down a few weeks after the election, the project was not mentioned. The bridge was stuck open last June and people were stranded in a massive traffic jam for three hours. It is ironic that the electrician who was called in to fix the problem got stuck in the traffic. That bridge in the air was yet another sign that the corridor must be fixed.

Over the years I have seen hundreds of proposals about fixing this corridor. The proposal now being considered by the Government has the most merit. It is being analysed by the Roads and Traffic Authority and the Ministry of Transport; it was submitted by a consortium of financiers, private contractors and the Sensible Traffic Action Group. The proposal includes a small tunnel from one side of The Spit Bridge connecting with the Warringah Freeway. More work must be done to ensure that the numbers add up. Of course, that must happen with every project. Our experience with the Cross City Tunnel and the Lane Cove Tunnel demonstrates that there cannot be any funnelling. Of course, public transport must be incorporated and, if it is not, it cannot go ahead. The bridge also needs attention, as do some of the critical interchanges around it.

I also encourage the Government to consider a rapid bus transit system. That concept has extensive support and it appears to be the ideal solution for the corridor. I asked a global expert to look at the area. He travelled up and down the corridor and advised that it is exactly the right density for such an approach. That is an important point. A rapid bus transit system would be 5 per cent of the cost of a metro system. He believes the density is right now: we do not need overdevelopment on the northern beaches to support a rapid bus transit system. He believes that the topography of the corridor would suit such a system and that we could make significant improvements to the service from the city to Newport by having bus lanes in the centre of the road and coordinating traffic lights. That would eliminate kerbside conflicts and the travel time could be cut by 40 per cent. I have met with the Minister for Roads and I thank him for that opportunity.

My simple message is that we should work together. He has said he wants to put politics aside and to have the department come up with a feasible solution that can be put on the Government's 10-year infrastructure plan. Let us not waste two years; let us work together; let us ensure that the modelling is thorough and that all options are considered. The Government should provide a significant opportunity for people to have a say about the solution. Given the current climate, that might make it difficult. However, if we were to arrive at a long-term vision for the corridor, different sides of politics can start working on it. I certainly do not want to run the Spit again wearing the silly T-shirt that I wore. However, I will do it until action is taken. This is not simply about the road; the community has suffered too long and the environment demands action from all sides of politics.