As visual presentations and future predictions, conducted from three years of research from Transport for NSW, were played for those special guests at the Singleton Civic Centre the same question remained for local identity Chris Bennett.

What will Transport for NSW do to fix the speed limit on the New England Highway?

"When we moved down here in 1996 you had enough time to run onto the highway and bowl a few overs but now in the mornings and evenings you wouldn't be able to feed a needle through there," Mr Bennett told the Singleton Argus this evening.

"Until they get around to fix our intersections they are just goofing off, buying land and asking for submissions about the Bypass.

"For almost eight years now we've just been asking for a reduction in speed from 100km to 80km (per hour), it isn't really that hard.

Since conducting a community safety meeting at the Whittingham Hall in March this year the dangerous stretch of road recorded its 13^th fatality in as many years.

Yet this was more than a number for the local spokesman.

Sadly, this marked the loss of his good friend (and employee) Mr Lloyd George who passed away on the evening of Thursday, June 20.

It spurred him on this afternoon when questioning the integrity of presenter Anna Zycki (Transport for NSW - Hunter regional director) as well as Mr Michael Johnsen (Member for the Upper Hunter).

"I know for a fact that you, Anna Zycki, said that there hasn't been enough deaths on that stretch of road," he declared.

"Well, we've had 13 in 13 years including a good friend of mine this year."

She responded to the Singleton Argus later in the afternoon.

"I absolutely understand his concerns and I would say that I absolutely would never say that 'there hasn't been enough deaths' because one death is too many," she explained.

"The bypass route itself is intended to be a 100km route but separately to that we are looking at speed limit reviews for that section of the New England highway through to Whittingham.

"That process is almost complete so I'm hoping in the next month or two to be able to provide information around that."

"The sorts of issues that people raised today were issues that we were aware of as well," she continued.

"We have spoken to members of the Whittingham community in the past and we are responding to their concerns about safety as we've completed one project there and there's another one to go.

"They're the sorts of things that communities want to know more about and we're really just encouraging people to put their submissions because their input is critical into getting the project right."

At the conclusion of this afternoon's forum Mr Johnsen exchanged words with the heated resident.

"He (Johnsen) said that there were things happening and announcements were to be made," Mr Bennett added.

"He said, 'we know you're very passionate about the speed and there are things happening in the background'.

"So I asked does that mean I can leave you guys alone because the Whittingham section will be down to 80km?

"He said, 'no, because some of it will be marked down to 90 and some will be 80'.

"I then said, 'Michael if we are still having this conversation in 12 months' time and we're having more fatalities then you'll hear from me again' and we left it at that."

The Singleton Argus understands that twenty per cent of the presentation's audience this afternoon was made up of concerned Whittingham residents.