DESIGN TIME: Transport spokesman for the Shoalhaven Business Chamber Tony Emery is pushing for a decision on the Flinders Road and Princes Highway intersection.
CONCERNS have been raised over what has been described as a lack of direction from Shoalhaven City Council over truck access from the Princes Highway to Flinders Estate.
With the work on the Princes Highway upgrade at South Nowra well under way, a final decision on the route for trucks to move onto and off the highway is still undetermined.
Transport spokesman for the Shoalhaven Business Chamber Tony Emery raised the issue this week with South Coast MP Shelley Hancock.
Mr Emery asked for a meeting between the RMS, council, the business chamber and Mrs Hancock.
“Mr Emery has asked me to convene a meeting, which I did for next Tuesday,” Mrs Hancock said.
“We have had a lot of discussion about this issue in the past, we’ve had the protests, the business chamber has demonstrated its point.
“It does have to be resolved,” Mrs Hancock said.
Mr Emery said he was worried about the work that is going ahead while major issues concerning access are yet to be designed.
“The issue is something council has to take responsibility for. Flinders Estate is council’s subdivision and it has been successful, it’s fantastic.
“Almost all the local transport companies operate out of Flinders Estate,” Mr Emery said.
“That includes B-doubles and coaches; the estate was designed for those large vehicles.
“However, council seems to have agreed to either of two options at the intersection of Flinders Road and the highway.
“One option is an S-loop scenario in which a truck stop could be incorporated.
“That is good thinking, but nobody seems to see it as a major priority.
“I would like to see council pushing for that option.”
Mr Emery said the other option involved turning Rotary Park into a truck stop, an option he said would not be as popular with the large vehicle industry.
Mr Emery said a recommendation went to a council meeting that it should support both options.
“We need to go to the RMS with a solid idea,” he said.
“I just don’t want this to end up like other intersections in the area, where council has had to go back and fix them up after.”
In a 2009 South Nowra upgrade community update, RMS completed detailed traffic modelling which confirmed existing arrangements at Flinders Road would be unsuitable in the long term.
It suggested current conditions could remain for the short term.
As a result the RMS has adjusted its plans so Flinders Road access would remain until a long-term solution was developed in partnership with council.