Councillors call for tunnels on the Coffs Harbour bypass

Coffs Harbour City Council will stage a campaign calling for Roads and Maritime Services to revise its concept design for the Coffs Harbour Bypass.

Coffs Harbour wants tunnels similar to the St Helena tunnel which was built during the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Pacific Highway upgrade. . Picture: Marc Stapelberg

COUNCIL has voted unanimously to launch a campaign to demand tunnels be reinstated on the Coffs Harbour bypass.

A motion raised by councillor Keith Rhoades and carried unanimously will see a working group called Coffs Harbour Bypass Impact Working Group formed to progress the campaign as a matter of urgency.

Mayor Denise Knight and councillors Keith Rhoades and Paul Amos will sit on the working group.

Councillor Keith Rhoades raised the motion to this evening's council meeting. . Picture: Trevor Veale

Necessary funds from council's communications and advertising budgets will be used to run the campaign.

"I didn't think we would have to revisit this. We now have major open cuttings. That's a complete turnaround from when this community was basically told they would get tunnels," Cr Rhoades said.

He highlighted noise as one of the main problems with cuttings.

"The echoing effect that is going to come down into Coffs Harbour...I just don't want to think about it because it is going to be astronomical."

Mayor Denise Knight also spoke passionately about the need to fight to ensure tunnels are reinstated.

"The government are being cheap skates as usual and we are paying the price," Cr Knight said.

Mayor Denise Knight's bypass comments were met with applause from the public gallery. . Picture: Keagan Elder

"To think that they can just swan in and treat us like second rate citizens like this - I am tired of being kicked around.　

"Our region deserves better than this," Cr Knight said to a round of applause.