A grand 100+ year-old bridge… But it has outlived its purpose - too small in width and load bearing for 21st century transport and farming infrastructure. For the past two years farmers, transport and local vehicles have had to re-route while the bridge is being rebuilt, sending them up to 100 kilometres round trips.
Locals frustrated with bureaucracy
By Mark Griggs, WDL and Tony Graham, Binjang Community Radio
POLITE FRUSTRATION could be the term used describing the 70-plus attendees of the Scabbing Flat Bridge public meeting on Monday afternoon at Geurie Bowling Club.
Frustration, because many of the questions of upwards of 15 people went unanswered or taken negatively by the sole Transport for NSW representative, Damien Pfeiffer, Executive Director, Partnerships and Integration – West Regional Integration Planning, Integration and Passenger.
As well as many farmers, business and interested people attending, Scabbing Flat Bridge Action Committee chair Michelle Tomkins was accompanied by local state member Dugald Saunders, DRC mayor Josh Black, deputy-mayor Phillip Toynton, councillor Richard Ivey and DRC acting general manager, Luke Ryan.
Ms Tomkins said feedback from the meeting in general was pretty negative.
“Even one local, Tracey Rushton stated that everything put forward gained a negative answer.
“So, it sounds as though you have already made your decision,” she said.
Mr Pfeiffer described a new process underway with a review into timber truss bridges throughout the state primarily with a “fit for purpose” filter.
The future of Scabbing Flat Bridge will be determined at the end of this process towards the end of June this year, however there will be no community consultation in the process.
However, Ms Tomkins said her concern with the new review The concern I have with the review is that they (the department) were going down the exact same path as last time.
“The last review in 2012 where heritage was the focus, and this time the review is less public than what it was in 2012,” she said.
“There’ll be no community consultation.
“So, I asked where’s the economic assessment, the productivity assessment, and safety assessments.
“This has to be a balanced review.”
She said Mr Pfeiffer assured us it would be a balanced review.
“He answered they would look at economics, productivity and safety which would be done internally in his department and would look at other departments for support,” Ms Tomkins said.
Clr Richard Ivey suggested that in parallel with the review in to lifting the heritage order, preliminary planning should be undertaken now for siting a new bridge to save time on the inevitable requirement for a new bridge.
He called for a feasibility and costing study to be implemented as soon as possible.
However, that was responded with a can’t do, Ms Tomkins said.
She said they were told the bridge reconstruction would take six months, but it’s now two years.
“We were originally told when the bailey bridge was gone, it was never coming back.
“It’s coming back.
“If they want the heritage bridge to remain, that’s fine, but we need a new bridge to meeting today’s needs.”