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By CAITLIN CROWLEY
QUEENSLAND’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has pushed back the deadline for people to have their say on a controversial transport corridor west of Toowoomba after being inundated with concerns from residents and landholders.
Toowoomba Regional Councillor Melissa Taylor raised the issue in Tuesday’s Council meeting and asked the Mayor’s office to contact Transport Minister Mark Bailey, requesting a media release on the consultation process.
Taylor told the Caller there was angst in the community which could have been avoided had people been informed that the consultation period had started earlier this month.
“The consultation actually commenced on the 10th of July and there was no notification to the community at all that it had commenced, with the consultation finishing on the 11th of August,” Taylor said.
“It has not given the community much time at all to understand where this proposed corridor is going, what the impacts are.
“I’ve received countless phone calls and messages from members of the community who are really concerned to receive a letter in the mail to say that this proposed corridor is going straight through their houses, straight through their land.”
Taylor said the council hadn’t received any advice on how many landholders could be impacted by the proposed route.
TMR issued a media release late yesterday confirming the decision to extend the consultation period to September 8.
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The Toowoomba North South Transport Corridor would provide an alternative to the New England Highway, linking “northern residential growth areas around the western edge of the city (via Charlton and Wellcamp) to the south of Toowoomba”.
The route being considered also includes two new east-west connections north of Charlton and south of Highfields.
The project’s website says initial technical investigations identified several potential routes and possible interchange locations and that the preferred route was chosen because of its potential to make connections between current and future residential areas, commercial and industrial developments and community facilities such as the proposed Toowoomba Regional Sports Precinct.
“The goal is to better connect existing transport infrastructure while minimising the impact on different land uses,” the website states.
“The proposed transport corridor also minimises the impact on community infrastructure and local roads as much as possible.”
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TMR’s regional director for Southern Queensland, Bill Lansbury, said consultation was a highly valued process and all consultation feedback would be
considered before a decision was made on the final transport corridor.
“We thank the Toowoomba and surrounding communities for their valuable contribution to this project over the last week,” Lansbury said.
“The feedback we are receiving is diverse and we appreciate the efforts of many community members.
“The online survey will remain open and the project team will remain available by phone, email and post until September.”
Melissa Taylor thanked TMR for extending the consultation period and said it was imperative residents had their say on the proposal.
“This is a major piece of infrastructure that will service our community in our region for the next 50 or 100 years and it may not be built for the next 10, 20, 25 years but in saying that, we need to get the corridor right,” she said.
“They need to contact TMR because that’s the only way that their voices will be heard.”
For more information and to make a submission, head to TMR’s website.