Crystal Creek bike-bus crash drives residents’ plea for roads fix

A fatal collision on a narrow stretch of road between Murwillumbah and Chillingham has fuelled calls by residents to fast-track repairs of roads ruined in the floods.

A quiet remote town in the Tweed hinterland that was rocked by a motorcycle-bus collison this week is increasingly desperate for action on roads in the area.

Crystal Creek residents are frustrated that some local roads remain closed since being damaged by floods in early 2022.

On Wednesday, emergency services rushed to Numinbah Road, Crystal Creek, after a motorcylist and a school bus collided.

The female rider, who was travelling with a second motorcyclist, was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics but died at the scene.

The rider has not been formally identified, but is believed to have been aged in her 50s.

It’s understood 14 children were aboard the bus at the time of the accident.

“Counselling support has been made available to students from local schools who were on the bus. No students were hurt,” an Education Department spokesperson said.

A statement from Tweed Shire Council said works will be undertaken on Numinbah Road on a 650-metre section between the village of Chillingham and Chilcotts Road, including road stabilisation and the application of a new bitumen seal.

Numinbah Road has seen an increased level of traffic since the closure of Tyalgum Road due to flood damage earlier this year.

Council’s Director of Engineering, David Oxenham, said repairs had begun this week, and motorists should expect delays.

“We know this section of the road network has taken a battering since the flood in February-March, particularly with the increased traffic we are experiencing as a result of the closure of Tyalgum Road due to a major landslip there,” Mr Oxenham said.

However, frustrated residents believe priority should be placed on fixing flood-ruined Tyalgum Road, given the narrow nature of Numinbah Road.

Tweed Shire resident Trevor White said via Facebook that the Numbinbah Road is unsuitable for heavy traffic.

“How many accidents will it take before fixing Tyalgum Road becomes a real priority, or are we counting the deaths and waiting?” he said.

“I expect some of us will need to sleep in town to avoid being cut off during the flooding this summer.”

Resident Irene Wickings said heavy two-way traffic via diverted Chilcotts Road was not for the faint-hearted and urged council to repair Tyalgum Road.