DONGARA–GERALDTON
BYPASS ROUTE ALIGNMENT SELECTION STUDY
858. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Minister for Transport:
I have a supplementary question.
Given the importance of getting the Dongara–Geraldton bypass route
right, will the minister listen to the concerns of the community and rethink
the proposed route, including reconsidering an upgrade to the existing Brand
Highway?
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
As
I said, we are consulting with landowners at the moment. The reality is that
when we build a new road or expand a road, there are impacts. With Brand
Highway, as I said, the amount of work required to build up the road would
basically cut off access and involve the building of secondary roads, which
would change the entire dynamics of that road. If that is the Nationals WA
plan, that is fine. At the election, people can decide what they prefer, but we
are currently in consultation. We have a preferred route. We are talking to
landowners about that route and making sure that their concerns are heard. I have
instructed my department, as I said at that meeting, that we will do all we can
to minimise the impacts on businesses, farms and also landowners. That is what
we will strive to do and that is what the current consultation is all about.