The Royal National Park is the jewel in the crown of Sydney’s natural environment. It should be accessible to everyone - not only those who can drive.

At the intersection of the Princes Highway and Rawson Avenue in Loftus there is currently no safe way for pedestrians or cyclists to cross. Families, children, and visitors attempting to reach the national park from Waratah Park or Loftus Train Station must navigate a busy highway without proper crossing facilities, creating unnecessary danger.

Although the Royal National Park attracts more than four million visitors each year, the lack of safe public and active transport access means almost all arrive by car. This discourages sustainable travel and limits fair access to one of Australia’s most significant natural places.

I have crossed here several times with my children. Each time, it is nerve-wracking. With small children, the crossing must be made in two stages, requiring us to wait in the median between lanes of high-speed traffic for the next red light. It feels unnecessarily dangerous - it shouldn’t be this way.

There is a simple solution. Adding a pedestrian crossing phase to the existing traffic lights would provide a low-cost safety improvement with minimal impact on traffic flow. It would create a safe and direct link from Loftus Station and Waratah Park to Loftus Oval and the Royal National Park.

Sutherland Shire Council and NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service have indicated their support and would deliver connecting paths on both sides of the highway.

This practical upgrade would:

• Improve safety for families and children
• Encourage walking and cycling
• Support public transport use
• Reduce parking pressure within the national park and at Loftus Oval

We call on Transport for NSW to deliver this much-needed pedestrian and cyclist crossing and make access to the Royal National Park safe and fair for everyone.