Toowoomba New England bypass: Westbrook forum raises questions as pressure placed on transport minister Mark Bailey

Transport Minister Mark Bailey has again been urged to come to Toowoomba following another massive forum on the controversial new New England Highway bypass.

Activists protesting against the proposed route for a massive new bypass around Toowoomba have called on Transport Minister Mark Bailey to come and listen to their concerns.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is under increasing pressure to answer community questions about the Toowoomba North South Transport Corridor, which will create a new bypass of the city by connecting the New England Highway at Geham in the north and Hodgson Vale in the south.

Mr Bailey was absent at Monday’s forum in Westbrook, with local TMR officials trying to address the various issues landholders in the growing western Toowoomba area had about the project.

A shot from the Westbrook forum around the Toowoomba North South transport corridor. Picture by Mikaela Smith

In Westbrook, key issues include its impact on property prices and what will happen to the future urban footprint of the western corridor once the route is established.

Specifically, the proposal runs parallel to the east of the existing Toowoomba bypass through Charlton, Wellcamp and Westbrook, placing a large amount of future residential land between both a highway and a major connector road.

Forum co-organiser Matt Norton said he had left the event with more questions than answers, particularly around why this was the proposed route.

A map of the proposed Toowoomba North South Transport Corridor from the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.

“Main Roads explained the process of how they decided where they went, but what they didn’t explain was why they chose the current route,” he said.

“Everyone is confused about why it couldn’t go further west? Why isn’t an obvious alternative being considered?

“The main concerns are, will this limit the growth of Westbrook, will it cut off Bunker’s Hill State School and will it lead to construction near the future urban footprint?”

Mr Norton also said he felt the consultation process would lead to minimal changes to the corridor.

“I still feel like this is not a consultation process, this is a notification process,” he said.

“I asked whether they had room to make substantial changes, and (it sounded like the) answer was that they could only tweak — in no way could they consider an alternative.”

It comes as a petition by Highfields activist Amy Clark has passed 4000 signatures, with Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts sponsoring it.

Ms Clark, whose home would be directly impacted, said Mr Bailey should take a trip up the Toowoomba range and meet with landholders.

“I have been saying it for three weeks now – it’s shameful that he’s not come to the region,” she said.

“It’s going to get him in hot water, it shows he doesn’t care about his people.

“He has to come, and if he doesn’t it, that says a lot.”

Ms Clark also bemoaned how the furore had spiralled into what she described as a political “circus”, citing opposition spokesman on transport Steve Minnikin’s speech at the Monday forum.

“It’s turning into a little bit of a circus, the shadow minister got up there and grandstanding,” she said.

“While I thought it was important for him to be there, it’s now turning into a circus, and I want it to be brought back to the community.”

New Toowoomba mayor Geoff McDonald also agreed Mr Bailey should make an appearance to address concerns, telling media following the forum “the call is out”.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey on the Speakers Green, Parliament House Picture: John Gass

More than 600 comments have been lodged on the department’s submission portal for the project, with the consultation period being extended until September.