Bathurst bypass project proposal set for next step

Bathurst Regional Council has agreed to make a submission to Infrastructure Australia to get the bypass project on the priority list, but it needs the endorsement of the NSW government first.

The Bathurst bypass was on the agenda for council's July 19, 2023 meeting, and councillors unanimously supported the recommendation to endorse the stage one - early stage proposal and continue discussions with Transport for NSW.

Due to a change in legislation, council cannot go directly to Infrastructure Australia to lodge its submission, which has been prepared by consultants Egis Oceania.

Councillor Jess Jennings believes council will ultimately be successful in getting the NSW government to support the proposal.

He said Egis Oceania has clearly proved the value of a bypass to not just Bathurst, but the broader region.

The firm's economic analysis returned an estimated problem and opportunities costs over the next 30 years of $3 billion net present value (NPV), undiscounted, or $1.2 billion (NVP, discounted).

The discounted value refers to the current value of future costs, while the undiscounted value is the raw costs with no adjustment for the impact of inflation.

"I think the state government will definitely see value in the project, the question is whether or not they will be able to include it in their budgets over the near term," Cr Jennings said.

"We'll wait and see what the budget looks like when the next state budget is handed down, but that's kind of a matter for them as to how their books are shaping up and how much benefit they see from this project.

"I think it's fair to say that this bypass could be part of a regional strategy for the whole of the Central West, which I think the state government will be looking to pursue."

The investigation conducted by Egis Oceania found there was strong community support for a bypass to "alleviate the heavy vehicle traffic currently passing through Bathurst".

Community members have expressed concern about the number of heavy vehicles on Durham Street and Stewart Street in particular, the safety issues this presents to pedestrians, congestion, and other impacts such as noise, pollution and damage to property.

These problems are predicted to only get worse due to expected increases in freight volume between 2021 and 2061.

A daily increase of 3000 through-traffic vehicles, including 600 heavy vehicles, has been forecast for Bathurst.

"What's already a tight and uncomfortable situation is only set to get worse, and that doesn't then include also the additional 13,000 people that we'll have living in Bathurst by 2040, which is an extra 16,000 local traffic movements," Cr Jennings said.

"Put those two together and it's hard to see how we can't get this done. We really have to get it done."

Now that council has voted to endorse the early stage proposal for a Bathurst bypass, it will continue the discussions it has been having with Transport for NSW.

Council's general manager, David Sherley, said this will be done in the near future, and the purpose will be to discuss the results of the economic analysis conducted by Egis Oceania.

Council will also convey the national significance of the problems and opportunities that are presented by the development of a bypass.

Should Transport for NSW support it, council will then lodge its submission with Infrastructure Australia to get the bypass on the priority list.

Cr Jennings said council will need financial support from the either the state or federal government, if not both, to deliver the bypass.

There is "absolutely no way" council can pay for the project on its own.

"And nor should it," Cr Jennings said, "because the benefits accrue much more to people and productivity outside of the region."

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