Overpass No Further Ahead

WHILE the final tweaks are being made to the bypass design the options for the overpass are still up in the air following resounding community feedback that all three options were unsuitable.

The Council has proposed a fourth option to the Roads and Maritime Service, which is an overpass going into Muffett Street and connecting the saleyards and meat works to the northern approach of the bypass.

Lee Watts said while it would be ideal to have heavy vehicles avoid coming through town, the purpose of a rail bridge was never for better truck access to the saleyards.

Kelly Street rail crossing, Scone.

“What started as a simple in-town rail overpass has become bigger than Ben Hur and more complicated than it needs to be,” said Ms Watts.

“The main priority was always emergency services being able to get across the railway line and the next priority is that residents are not stuck waiting at level crossings,” she said.

“The purpose for a rail overpass was not for cattle trucks on a Tuesday not to wait for trains to get the saleyards and I just think we have lost sight of what we need.

“Most people have told me they are sick of waiting for the trains and while the trains are now quicker all projections indicate there will be more coal trains in the future, so if people are annoyed now, they will be more annoyed if we don’t have an in town rail overpass and I don’t think it is practical for people to drive around to the saleyards every time they want to cross the railway line without being stopped by a train,” she said.

“I understand many people don’t want Elizabeth Park impacted, I don’t want Elizabeth Park impacted, but if the RMS can’t achieve the original plan and their design will ruin the iconic park, then the overpass would be better at St Aubins Street where again there may be issues, but where ever it goes there will be some issues,” she said

“I think most residents would be disappointed if the in town rail bridge ended up being on the outskirts of town and not simple for most traffic to use,” Lee Watts said.

Wayne Bedggood mayor of the Upper Hunter Shire Council said he is keen for an option to be selected so work can commence.

“The RMS has said they will be coming back to us in the next couple of months with new options and we’ve asked them to revise the northern approach that we could be another option for a rail overpass near the saleyards,” said Mayor Bedggood.

“But hopefully they come back with just two options so that it is straight forward for the community to decide and we can get it built,” he said.

“They have told us they have taken all of the community feedback on board and you can see in the submissions report they have done that so I encourage people to take a careful look at the next lot of designs and make sure they voice their opinion to the RMS when the time comes, so that the option most of the community wants is the one that is built,” he said.

“Council would be prepared to project manage it, we just want to see it get done and get done properly,” said Wayne Bedggood.

Inspector Guy Guiana outside Scone police station.

Inspector Guy Guiana, who is on the local emergency management committee said that the position of the overpass would not make a significant difference to emergency services.

“The location near the saleyards would only make a difference of a matter of seconds to minutes and if it does serve a dual purpose for diverting trucks I could see how that would be workable,” said Inspector Guiana.

“We need a solution where we can reach the other side of town and the issue has been when there was a break down and there is no movement on the railway line, how we get across,” Guy Guiana said.

The RMS has explained the timing of the construction and opening of the rail bridge is dependent the option the community chose.

The Kelly Street option near Elizabeth Park would not be constructed until after the bypass is complete, but other options such as St Aubins and Sherwood Street could be constructed at the same time as the bypass.