Federal LNP Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott has said, while he supports the Toowoomba Range bypass, he is not going to allow the Cunningham’s Gap and Warrego Highway to be overshadowed in the bid for funding.
Mr Scott recently attended the ‘Seal the Deal’ bypass forum in Toowoomba, which clearly displayed the Coalition’s support for transport infrastructure.
“Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Nationals leader Warren Truss reconfirmed the Coalition will commit $700 million for the bypass project if we return to Government this year,” Mr Scott said.
“The current bypass plans include a four-lane dual carriageway from Helidon until the tunnel entrance where it will turn into two lanes. The proposed 41km new bypass will be tolled.”
However, Mr Scott said the Warrego Highway, which snakes its way through the electorate and Cunningham’s Gap, near Warwick, will not be forgotten.
“The Warrego Highway was never meant to take the volume of traffic now travelling on it as a result of the expanding mining industry in the Surat Basin,” Mr Scott said.
“If the Coalition is elected to Government, we are committed to a comprehensive review of the transport options in the Maranoa.
Federal LNP Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott has said, while he supports the Toowoomba Range bypass, he is not going to allow the Cunningham’s Gap and Warrego Highway to be overshadowed in the bid for funding.
Mr Scott recently attended the ‘Seal the Deal’ bypass forum in Toowoomba, which clearly displayed the Coalition’s support for transport infrastructure.
“Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Nationals leader Warren Truss reconfirmed the Coalition will commit $700 million for the bypass project if we return to Government this year,” Mr Scott said.
“Mr Truss said he couldn’t talk about transport infrastructure with me in the room and not talk about the Warrego Highway and he reconfirmed the Coalition will make a Warrego Highway pledge closer to the election.”
In the south of the electorate, landslides caused by weather associated with ex-tropical cyclone Oswald closed Cunningham’s Gap. It remained closed for two days.
“Cunningham’s Gap is a major transport link from the Port of Brisbane through to Sydney and the Murray-Darling Basin food bowl – for it to be closed for an extended period of time is devastating,” Mr Scott said.
“While the proposed second Toowoomba Range crossing is important, the Gap only has two lanes and is in urgent need of further assessment. We can’t afford to have this link closed for days.”
