DR JOE TARGETS INLAND RAIL TRAFFIC TROUBLES

The NSW Parliament has been told that Inland Rail should not begin construction through Wagga in September if it cannot guarantee traffic will flow effectively during the works. 

In a private member’s statement to parliament, the Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, said the community was still waiting for Inland Rail to provide a traffic plan outlining how expected chaos on major roads would be managed. 

Dr McGirr said the problems would be even worse than originally expected, with the construction duration blowing out from nine months to 18 months. 

“The long-term closure of the Edmondson Street bridge is a particular concern,” he told the Legislative Assembly. 

“(The closure) will strangle traffic movements and cause extreme congestion along alternative routes—not for days or weeks at a time but for one-and-a-half years.” 

Dr McGirr and Wagga City Council Mayor Dallas Tout and General Manager Peter Thompson yesterday met with the Minister for Transport, Jenny Aitchison, and the Minister for Planning, Paul Scully, to discuss the potential blow to the city’s economy and lifestyle during the works.  

“We explained our alarm at the impact of closing a bridge which carries 10,000 vehicles per day,” Dr McGirr said. 

“(Inland Rail) is only focused on delivering the project without regard to the chaos it will cause. It even refuses to conduct a trial closure of the bridge to accurately model the impact.” 

Dr McGirr will continue to work with the council and Transport for NSW to find ways of mitigating the impact. 

“If Inland Rail cannot guarantee effective traffic flow in Wagga by the start of September, then it should delay the work until it can demonstrate real measures to protect Wagga from this project.”  

Dr McGirr also used the private member’s statement to accelerate advocacy for the duplication of the Gobba Bridge. 

He said the recent Northern Access Strategy community consultation report, which found congestion on the bridge was the top traffic concern for local respondents, demonstrated the importance of planning for a duplication as soon as possible. 

Dr McGirr thanked Minister Aitchison for acknowledging his determination to deliver a second river crossing. 

“I look forward to working with the Government in a way that reflects the importance of this essential project,” he said. 

“The challenge now lies in making it happen, beginning with a commitment by the Government to begin planning.” 

The full statement can be read at:  https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-154262/link/2237