Wagners wants $15 million link from new bypass

TOOWOOMBA business giant Wagners is calling for a $15 million link to be built from the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing directly to its new airport.

The current design for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing.

TOOWOOMBA business giant Wagners is calling for a $15 million link to be built from the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing directly to its new airport.

Under the current design an interchange will be built connecting the crossing to Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Rd.

Motorists travelling to Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport via the crossing would need to take a 7km detour.

Wagners chairman Denis Wagner said a direct link was needed to the airport which he said would boost the economy by $600 million over 30 years, citing the growing agriculture and transport sectors.

He estimated the interchange would cost about $15 million.

Mr Wagner said the government should pay for the interchange, arguing it was in the public interest.

He said Wagners would spend about $10 million on a private road connecting the interchange to the airport.

"We're not just sitting on our hands hoping someone else does it."

Mr Wagner said it would be much easier to incorporate a new interchange into the design now, rather than after traffic started rolling.

"It's not too late; they can do it quite easily. They just have to make a decision. Now is the time to do it."

The company has made submissions to the Queensland and Australian Governments regarding the proposal.

A Transport and Main Roads Department spokesperson said a number of conditions were applied as part of the approval process that allowed the Wagner Group to develop the Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport.

One of those conditions required the Wagner Group to fund an interchange access to the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing as well as upgrading a section of Toowoomba - Cecil Plains Road, the spokesperson said.

Transport and Main Roads and the Wagner Group were in discussions about this matter.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester said while the State Government was responsible for managing the project and discussions on design, the Federal Government was monitoring these discussions.

"The Turnbull-Joyce Government is investing over $1.1 billion in this $1.6 billion project, the largest ever investment by the Australian Government in a single road project in regional Queensland," he said.
 

Originally published as Wagners wants $15 million link from new bypass