South coast nurses fear traffic ‘mayhem’ with Eurobodalla Regional Hospital

Rural nurses have voiced their fears over major holiday traffic congestion near the site of an upcoming south coast hospital, predicting “mayhem” for workers, patients and visitors.

An artist’s impression of the $330m Eurobodalla Regional Hospital. Picture: Supplied

The NSW Government has moved to assure the south coast community and concerned nurses road “mayhem” will not hinder trips to the upcoming Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, saying paramedics are adept at navigating holiday traffic.

The call for calm follows local residents reporting travel delays of up to an hour as holiday traffic recently entered Moruya, the coastal town where the $330m, four-level hospital is currently being built.

To make matters worse, Batemans Bay residents will be forced to make the 30km drive south to the new hospital upon its opening, with the current Batemans Bay Hospital set to close its doors.

A petition launched in a desperate bid to bay becoming the largest regional centre without an emergency department attracted more than 18,000 signatures, but the plea has seemingly fallen on deaf ears.

A Eurobodalla-based nurse, who wished to remain nameless, said traffic congestion along the highway was an issue she and her colleagues feared.

South coast residents fear traffic congestion will hinder trips to the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital. Picture: Richard Jupe

“It’s going to be mayhem,” she said.

While a bypass is set to be constructed around Moruya to manage the issue, albeit with a staggering price tag of nearly $2b,

The Eurobodalla Regional Hospital construction site. Picture: Tom McGann

Transport for NSW previously suggested the infrastructure, featuring the state’s largest land bridge, was unlikely to open before the new hospital.

“The bypass needed to be built first,” the Eurobodalla nurse told this publication.

“We’ve seen how much traffic comes to our area during Christmas. Our population absolutely explodes.”

The nurse, who plans to work in the new hospital upon its opening, said she got stuck in traffic north of Moruya on the Princes Highway this holiday season for 45 minutes.

An artist’s impression of the $330m Eurobodalla Regional Hospital. Picture: Supplied

“Let’s say it’s the holiday season and someone you love is dying in hospital,” she said.

“You need to drive there, but now you’re stuck on the road when you need to be at the hospital.”

Another Eurobodalla-based nurse, Georgie Rowley, said traffic congestion was already a prevalent issue for nurses in the region.

“Rural nurses know the travel requirements to get to and from work,” she said.

Eurobodalla-based nurse Georgie Rowley. Picture: Supplied

“There’s a couple nurses who clock 50 minutes to and from already during busy periods.”

The $1.7b Moruya bypass project’s planning phase recently wrapped up when the state government selected its preferred route.

However, Transport for NSW told this publication the project had been paused until further funding was obtained.

“Further planning for the project is subject to Transport receiving additional funding that was not set aside when the project was announced,” a spokeswoman said.

Despite traffic concerns, a spokesman for the NSW Regional Health Minister, Ryan Park, said paramedics were skilled drivers.

“NSW Ambulance navigates holiday traffic, accidents and obstructions to provide efficient transport across all parts of NSW, including Eurobodalla, and including transport to Moruya hospital from Batemans Bay,” he said.

“The (hospital) site was selected based with existing roads and traffic taken into consideration, regardless of the future construction of a bypass.”

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Originally published as South coast nurses fear traffic ‘mayhem’ with Eurobodalla Regional Hospital