Mayor repeats calls for a better Singleton bypass of the New England Highway to avoid "bittersweet" outcome
Mayor of Singleton, Cr Sue Moore has again called on the NSW Government to reconsider its plans for the Singleton bypass of the New England Highway and include a dual carriageway as well as a full interchange at Putty Road.
She had already written to the to the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole this week to request a meeting as soon as possible, ahead of comments by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack, Federal Member for New England Barnaby Joyce and Mr Toole in a statement today that the project was pushing ahead.
With $560 million committed by the Australian Government last year, Mr Joyce said the bypass would be designed to cater for a "later upgrade to a dual carriageway where required to meet future traffic demands".
Cr Moore said she was committed to ensuring the best outcome for the people of Singleton and the people who drove through the local government area every day.
"The Australian and NSW governments say they are now seeking industry feedback on the best way to deliver the bypass, and what we're hearing from our community and from the motorists who'll be using the road is to make it dual lanes with a full interchange," she said.
"We also need to listen to the delivery truck drivers and the other motorists who service the Town Centre to understand what their needs are, and which way they need to get onto John Street.
"I've said repeatedly that I am whole-heartedly supportive of the concept of the Singleton bypass and the importance of this vital piece of infrastructure to our community, but we only get one chance to get it right."
Cr Moore said she was thrilled with the commitment to start work on the project as soon as possible, but disappointed the design didn't go far enough to plan for the community's needs now and into the future.
"After years of lobbying, we don't want the Singleton bypass of the New England Highway to become a bittersweet project," she said.
"We should be learning from the Hunter Expressway and the fortitude that was shown for the Branxton interchange to accommodate the future development at Huntlee, as well as the work of the local community to entice people to stop in Branxton from both directions.
"We have the opportunity to plan for the long-term, to provide the best possible outcome for our community. I don't want the people of Singleton to come this far, only to be in the position of having to lobby for more money later on to address issues we're raising now."
BUSINESS REGISTRATIONS OPEN FOR DINE & DISCOVER
Eligible businesses in our Upper Hunter electorate can now register to take part in the NSW Government's major economic stimulus program, Dine & Discover NSW.
The program will create an economic boost for local dining, arts and tourism businesses, which have been impacted by COVID-19, and encourage customers to get out and about safely.
Service NSW is launching a specialised app for participating businesses, so they scan and track voucher usage over the life of the program. After applying online, NSW businesses will be able to track the progress of the application through their MyServiceNSW Business Profile. Business owners will then receive a step-by-step process on how to get ready.
With a high uptake of the vouchers expected across the state, the Business Profile provides one, easy-to-use location for businesses to stay on top of voucher transactions.
