TRAFFIC REPORT: TAFE it or Leave it. Desperate Drivers Funnelled Through Educational Institution Car Park in Bold Shire Exit Attempt.

Layne Hogg | Traffic Reporter | Sutherland Shire Gazette

19 April 2025

SUTHERLAND - Southbound traffic attempting a graceful Easter exit from the Shire has instead found itself in a grim procession best described as “vehicular purgatory with brake lights.”

With Heathcote Road closed by the NSW Government for upgrdes, and the T4 train line down for scheduled “improvements” (timed with divine precision for the Easter long weekend), residents have bravely attempted to head south using Rawson Street - the arterial equivalent of a polite shrug.

To ease the gridlock, authorities reportedly suggested that drivers divert through the Loftus TAFE car park, a route not traditionally part of the Transport network but now functioning as an unofficial bypass and test of spiritual endurance.

Eyewitnesses describe a conga line of sedans, SUVs, and one confused tradie circling through the TAFE like it’s Westfield in late December. Once inside, drivers discovered that the “shortcut” was also a dead end, with outbound traffic queuing at the other exit in a silent, shared existential crisis.

“It had a vibe,” said local motorist Terry, who spent 40 minutes inside the TAFE loop before abandoning his vehicle and taking up woodwork.

Elsewhere, traffic attempting to detour via the Royal National Park has slowed to a gentle crawl, with GPS systems now simply displaying a single word: “Don’t.”

Authorities remind drivers to “remain calm, stay hydrated, and accept that the Shire does not release you without a fight.”