Bypass delays begin to bite as timeframe passes by

THE deadline for companies to start signing up to build the Toowoomba Bypass has been and gone, yet no call for expressions of interest has been made.

THE deadline for companies to start signing up to build the Toowoomba Bypass has been and gone, yet no call for expressions of interest has been made.

The State and Federal governments were due to invite companies to register proposed business models in taking part in the $1.3 billion project by late-March.

More than a month has passed yet both political tiers remain eerily silent on the matter.

With talk of upcoming hack-and-slash budgets, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise president Shane Charles said the business community needed further assurances the construction would begin by the promised date.

"We understand the documents are all in Canberra waiting execution," he said.

"However, given the clear budget sensitivities at the moment, we need to see those documents signed prior to the budget speech.

"Those expressions of interest need to be released urgently if the project is to be ready for construction to start in early-2015."

An artist's impression of the completed Toowoomba Bypass at Hermitage Rd. . Picture: Contributed

Projects Queensland received 63 submissions - from Australia and abroad - when it called for contractors to register interest in the project at the end of January.

That process only required companies to register their names.

Business cases and costings from each of the contesting companies will not be finalised until the next belated step of the process begins.

"Contractors definitely want this, but they won't make the start date unless the next step happens soon," Mr Charles said.

Federal Member for Groom Ian Macfarlane. Picture: Bev Lacey

Federal Member for Groom and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane attributed the delay to ongoing consultation between the Federal and State governments.

He would not say when the overdue expressions of interest phase would begin.

"The Queensland Government is managing the Expressions of Interest process, and I have been in discussions with the State Treasurer Tim Nicholls and the Federal Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss in regard to the release of the EOI document," Mr Macfarlane said.

"There has been added detail required and comprehensive planning is continuing to ensure we get this process right, given this project is a significant investment for both the Commonwealth and the State Government.

"As the Registration of Interest step showed, there is enormous interest from the private sector in building the Toowoomba Bypass."

Originally published as Bypass delays begin to bite as timeframe passes by