15-year campaign to seal road over

Residents on Lower Clarence Lane can sleep easy after decision

SMOOTH SAILING: The council has approved the sealing of McIntyres Lane. Picture: Jarrard Potter

IT HAS been a long fight, but residents on McIntyres Lane can sleep easier tonight knowing that a decision has finally been made to seal the road.

With tense exchanges between councillors and points of order flying thick and fast, it was decided at Tuesday's council meeting that the last kilometre of McIntyres Lane would be sealed, by a vote of six to three.

Long-time advocate for the project Cr Karen Toms said there was a sense of relief after seeing through something she had been pushing for more than ten years.

Cr Toms agreed while the community would most likely have to wait until after May 2020, that was short considering the first motion seeking to seal the lane was in 2003.

"It is just wonderful and has been a long time coming," she said.

"This is a great result for the community. They have been trying to get this done for a really long time and I was over the moon when I was coming home after the meeting."

However, leading into Tuesday's meeting the timeline was less clear with Cr Williamson putting up a motion to commit to the sealing but defer it until after the completion of the Pacific Highway.

His motion to undergo further community consultation and consider additional funding streams threw the cat among the pigeons and Cr Toms, seeing it as a delaying tactic, moved her amendment to seal the road during the next financial year.

Speaking against the amendment, Cr Andrew Baker said the sealing of the road would make McIntyres Lane a "speedway" and more thought had to be given to the impact it would have on adjoining roads and intersections.

But the tensest exchanges were saved for debate between Cr Williamson, Cr Peter Ellem and Cr Toms which resulted in a a series of rapid-fire points of order issued between the three.

However, the amendment was carried and it drew to a close a fight which had run for more than 15 years.

"This is just a great thing for the community," Cr Toms said.

Originally published as 15-year campaign to seal road over