Mayor calls for help to seal the Bypass deal

UPDATE: Mayor Paul Antonio has called on Toowoomba and south-west Queensland to support a rejuvenated push to seal the deal for the Toowoomba Bypass.

UPDATE: Mayor Paul Antonio has called on Toowoomba and south-west Queensland to support a rejuvenated push to seal the deal for the Toowoomba Bypass.  

Cr Antonio stood at the entrance of the range pilot tunnel this morning when launching the Toowoomba Bypass Forum, scheduled for February 8 next year.  

He recognised the hard work already done by Councillors and former Mayors in bringing the case for construction to its current point.  

"The patience of Toowoomba residents has been tested," Cr Antonio said.  

"They deserve nothing less than good infrastructure."  

He said he hoped Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese would attend the February forum.  

A spokesman for Mr Albanese did not rule out the minister's attendance.  

"We seriously haven't even looked at February yet," the spokesman said.   

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise Chief Executive Shane Charles said a study detailing the economic benefits the bypass would bring to a wide range of industries was underway.  

It has been done to add to the State Government business case commissioned earlier this year.  

"Our board has decided that TSBE must to everything possible and leave no stone unturned," Mr Charles said.   

Mayor does hard sell to seal bypass

EARLIER: Mayor Paul Antonio's office has been working against the clock to attract 250 top-level politicians and industry leaders to help "seal the deal" on the Toowoomba bypass.

Cr Antonio tabled a last-minute supplement to last night's ordinary council meeting - the last of 2012 - outlining a $60,000 plan to host a Toowoomba Bypass Forum on February 8.

The Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise will co-host the meeting which is aimed at getting both sides of the political divide onside for a second range crossing to finally be realised.

Cr Antonio said every day's delay was driving up costs.

"We have to get this to the next stage very quickly," he said.

"The cost of the bypass is escalating in the order of $66 million every year.

"If you divide that by 365, that's $180,000 a day.

"The nation is waiting for this to be delivered and it is vital it is done now."

In the scheme of things, the $60,000 outlay - $30,000 of which is expected to be recouped through fundraising and registration fees - is a drop in the ocean.

Cr Antonio is also attempting to commission a computer- generated "drive-through video" to help sell the plan to the delegates.

The invitation-only guest list so far only includes LNP Members of Parliament Warren Truss, Ian McFarlane and John McVeigh, but is expected to grow by some 240 visitors.

Other invitees will include mayors and chief executive officers of surrounding councils, State and Federal MPs and top-tier representatives of Infrastructure Australia, Projects Queensland and affected industries.

Originally published as Mayor calls for help to seal the Bypass deal