Cr Jason Kingsley seeks council support to build new bridge to Lawrence

Councillor petitions for support to connect town serviced by busiest ferry route in NSW.

The Lawrence Ferry remains out of service as flood water continues to flow down the Clarence River (March 24, 2021)

It is the busiest vehicle ferry in NSW, and the community has been campaigning for almost 50 years to have it replaced. Now a Clarence Valley Councillor is petitioning to build a bridge to replace The Bluff Point Ferry at Lawrence.

Deputy Mayor Jason Kingsley has put forward a notice of motion on behalf of the Lawrence Bridge Action Group to write to a range of politicians from premier Gladys Berejiklian down to seek a funding commitment to build a new bridge to replace to the ferry.

The motion states there have been no less than three action groups since the 1970s, with the most recent (LBAG) formed in 2018. The group met with Transport for NSW in 2018 presenting three different locations for a new bridge. As a result, Transport for NSW requested a viability study to examine the locations, and provide indicative costs to construct the bridge.

The study has now been completed and the action group through the notice of motion is seeking council’s support to lobby both state and federal government to replace the ferries.

The Lawrence ferry in action.

The Lawrence ferry has been in operation since the 1800s, and has been upgrade four times to service the Lawrence community. Most recently, Transport for NSW introduced a second 18 car ferry to operate during peak times along with the 24 hour operation of a 24 car ferry.

According to the motion, the population of Lawrence and surrounding areas had doubled since the 1980s, and on average in the four years prior to the Pacific Highway upgrade there was an approximate eight per cent increase in traffic over the bridge.

The average wait time for the ferry service is around 10 minutes, however it can extend out to 30 minutes in peak periods or school holidays.

During cane season there are approximately 8000 semi-trailer movements, and each semi takes approximately 3-4 vehicle spots.

According to the study, and also figures shown to The Daily Examiner, the estimated cost of a bridge would be $110 million. The report states that approximate running costs were verbally provided to the action group in a briefing of approximately $1 million per year, however Transport for NSW quoted a figure of approximately $2 million per year in responding to questions last year.

The group maintains that with these figures funding a new bridge would on balance be a more cost effective solution than the current annual operating maintenance costs of a ferry.

It also cites the bus routes, the isolation of the town during floods, and dangers with the ability of emergency services to quickly service the town as additional reasons for the upgrade.

The motion will be considered by Clarence Valley Councillors at their June meeting today (June 22).