Bentley Quarry: Lismore ratepayers to foot bill for trucks travelling Kyogle Rd

Lismore ratepayers will foot a big bill for road maintenance from increased heavy vehicle traffic coming from the Bentley ‘mega quarry’ if it gets the green light. Here’s why.

Richmond Valley Council has come under fire for refusing to share road levies from the proposed Bentley Quarry expansion with neighbouring council Lismore City, despite 60 per cent of the quarry’s trucks likely to use Lismore roads.

The controversial ‘mega quarry’, which faces fierce resistance from nearby residents, will see 84 of 140 truck movements being directed into the Lismore council area via Kyogle Road if it goes ahead.

Lismore councillor Vanessa Ekins said it was “very disappointing” that Richmond council had not addressed the “unacceptable impact” this heavy vehicle traffic will have an on Lismore’s already “significantly underfunded” road network.

“We don’t want our ratepayers subsidising and paying for damage on our roads caused by heavy impact industry and trucks from a private business,” Ms Ekins said.

“If you look at (Richmond’s) conditions of consent, they do talk about damage to council roads being repaired to the satisfaction of council. But which council? Not Lismore City Council, which will bear 60 per cent of the impact.”

Potholes on Kyogle Road. Photo Doug Eaton / The Northern Star

Lismore City Council requested 55 per cent of the contribution for road levies from the quarry to offset the wear and tear the quarry’s trucks would have on Lismore roads.

But Richmond Valley Council baulked, with general manager Vaughan Macdonald responding that all Northern Rivers councils have industries that impact on one another’s roads.

“There is no legal mechanism in place for this to happen and administering any such arrangement would be next to impossible,” Mr Macdonald said.

“It would require that Lismore City Council does the same assessment of the businesses that operate in its area that are subject to a heavy haulage levy and then use the roads across the Richmond Valley.”

The final determination of the quarry expansion has been deferred for three months after a Northern Rivers Planning Panel heard fierce public protests against the proposed ‘mega quarry’ on Wednesday (August 24).

“Creating a precedent by responding to claims made during a panel hearing by creating another administrative process is unproductive,” Mr Macdonald said.

“We will await the outcomes of the panel’s deliberations and respect any decisions it makes in due course.”