Cessnock Bypass

Mr HICKEY (Cessnock) [5.40 p.m.]: I wish to speak about traffic in my electorate and in particular heavy vehicle movements in Vincent Street, the main street of Cessnock. Vincent Street has been used as a heavy vehicle arterial road for as long as I can remember. This issue will not be removed from my agenda until the promised bypass is constructed. The council is very keen for that bypass to be built. I have sighted correspondence dating back to the 1980s regarding the town’s displeasure and discomfort as a result of 9,000 vehicle movements through the middle of the town, including 2,000 heavy vehicles.

I believe that the Federal Government, through the office of the Hon. John Anderson, is responsible for allocating the funding required for the F3 bypass of Cessnock, more commonly known as the Kurri Kurri corridor. This issue has been placed on hold for too long and the city of Cessnock continues to suffer disruption because of heavy vehicles using Cessnock township as the main route north. I understand that the environmental impact statement for this project was completed as far back as 1994, and that investigations regarding the best possible route have been completed for some time.

The Kurri Kurri corridor of the F3 meets the following objectives set down by the Federal Government in 1993. First, it will provide a high-standard, efficient, long-term road transport link between the Sydney to Newcastle freeway and the New England Highway west of Maitland. Second, it will reduce the conflict between local traffic and heavy vehicles in the Cessnock local government area. Third, it will enhance the contribution of the Maitland and Newcastle port industrial areas to the mid-Hunter economy. Finally, it will improve the connections for businesses and social activities between the lower Hunter, Newcastle, Sydney and metropolitan centres.

I draw to the attention of the House the fact that the predominant traffic movements in the lower Hunter are between major centres including Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri. The majority of traffic on the freeway at the Freemans Waterhole interchange travels onto the Pacific Highway north of Hexham. That equates to 60 per cent of traffic movements, and 17 per cent travels to Maitland via Kurri Kurri and west of Branxton via Cessnock.

In 1993 the Cessnock central business district had 9,000 traffic movements per day, a large percentage of which were heavy transport vehicles. The Roads and Traffic Authority at that time estimated that a bypass would reduce heavy vehicle movements on Route 220 - that is Vincent Street, the main shopping street - by approximately 2,000 heavy vehicles.

I demand that the Federal Government, through Minister Anderson’s department, allocate the funds required in the next budget to ensure that the Cessnock community receives the bypass that has been promised by Federal governments for the last 10 years. Until that happens, the Cessnock community has limited capacity for growth in the Cessnock central business district as trucks rattle the foundations of the buildings. The pollution caused by the heavy vehicles is at best unpleasant and at worst unhealthy.

Page 1694

Local residents deserve much better. They deserve the right to feel safe and to know that their children can go to the local shopping centre without fearing the traffic. Elderly people who drive motor vehicles are intimidated by the heavy vehicles in the centre of their community; they deserve much better. The Federal Government has a major share in the responsibility of fixing this issue as the benefits will flow on to all electorates along the New England Highway and to residents of Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Cessnock, Branxton, Singleton and all other communities that utilise the route.

The Deputy Leader of the National Party will testify that he has argued on many occasions in this Chamber about the need for the bypass. This should be a bipartisan issue. I call on my colleague the Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads to assist me in my endeavours and demands to ensure Federal Government funds for this much-needed bypass.

Mr FACE (Charlestown - Minister for Gaming and Racing, and Minister Assisting the Premier on Hunter Development) [5.45 p.m.]: The vexed problem raised by the honourable member for Cessnock has been around for years and has been shoved from government to government of both political persuasions. Quite frankly, it is about time somebody made a decision. The people of Cessnock have a valid concern. Vincent Street traffic has become chaotic, and affects an area that is burgeoning with tourism.

This matter also affects what happens in the upper Hunter. Recently I spoke to representatives of Muswellbrook Shire Council, as I have spoken to all councils in the area since the local government elections. Apparently Minister Anderson has come to some agreement with Muswellbrook council about the bypass. A bypass is needed to provide relief not only to Vincent Street but to the whole of Cessnock. Cessnock and the smaller villages of Paxton, Millfield and Illalong are now visited by many Sydneysiders. People are buying weekenders in which to spend quiet moments. Senator Tierney marches up and down the length and breadth of the valley when there is good news but is conspicuous by his absence when certain things are discussed.

Recently, during discussions with Cessnock council about a range of matters that impact on the State, I suggested, as Minister assisting the Premier on Hunter Development, that Senator Tierney should be asked to speak to the council in a sensible bipartisan way to determine whether money can be made available for the very important work in Cessnock. The State has now made money available for a feasibility study and we should get on with the job of making the lives of the people of Cessnock a little bit easier.