Larger vehicles, including some laden 4WDs, as well as trucks, milk tankers, school bus and tourist coach traffic will be detoured from Wingham via Comboyne Road, Middlebrook Road, Mooral Creek Road and Warrawillah Road - a detour of 29kms, 19kms of which are unsealed.

Mr Cameron said yesterday that serious concerns were felt for public safety during the indefinite detour period.

"Because it is a rural farming area many residents drive 4WD vehicles greater than two tonnes.

"They will be forced to drive their families over a dangerous road that is also being used by milk tankers, garbage trucks, stock feed trucks, delivery vans, cattle transport trucks, service trucks such as Country Energy, and trucks delivering building supplies etc.

"The health and safety of people using the deviation is at risk because the road was never designed to carry the volume or size of vehicles it will be required to. Residents along this road will encounter increased numbers of vehicles as well as much heavier ones."

He said response times for emergency vehicles such as ambulance, police, fire and rescue will be considerably longer, putting lives at risk.

"Businesses relying on tourism will struggle or go bust. This happened when Duffs Bridge was closed for several months for repairs some years ago," he said.

"Several businesses along the route rely on this road to get their products to market. Extra distance incurs extra costs. Time is money. Fuel costs increase.

"Wear and tear on vehicles travelling on such a road over possibly two years will be considerable and costly.

"Deterioration in condition of livestock upon arrival at market means poorer prices for them. Higher prices for goods due to increased overheads means producers are less able to compete in the market.

"During times of rain there won't be a way to get produce to markets, as there are several concrete culvert creek crossings that flood."

Mr Cameron said stock feed, fertilisers, fuel and fencing - all common commodities delivered to rural farming communities - will no doubt increase in cost because of the extra mileage and time needed for deliveries.

"Four community halls are on the route, meaning functions will not be supported due to the inconvenience of getting there. Communities will become more isolated."

Mr Cameron said he fears for trade in Wingham, which services the outlying communities.

"Tourists in heavy vehicles or in in cars towing vans are less likely to make the trip to Ellenborough Falls and therefore Wingham will miss potential tourist dollars. People living on the Bulga Plateau will be more likely to head across to Wauchope to shop and attend business."

Real estate, too, will suffer, he claimed. He fears also for the children at Bobin and Elands public schools who he said will be less likely to take part in activities involving other schools in the Upper Manning Community of Schools Group as they would require bussing on a longer, more dangerous route.

"This will further add to their isolation," he said.

There is fresh concern over high school children who commute to schools in Wingham. In a situation still being discussed yesterday, it appeared authorities were not in favour of an earlier suggestion that the children be walked across the Marlee Bridge to and from waiting school buses. Nor did council appear to favour the children being bussed around the detour route, rather that parents in private vehicles should ferry them to a pick-up point at Marlee store.

"The deviation that vehicles over two tonnes is expected to use is unsafe and unacceptable," Mr Cameron summed up.

"The economic, geographical, environmental, social and psychological impact of this action is immeasurable.

"The communities have suffered from lengthy partial and permanent bridge closures at various times in the past and it's time the problem was solved.

"A more suitable arrangement is required for the short term and replacement of the bridges is necessary in the long term. Council has indicated it does not have the funds to replace the bridges and that timber required for repairs is scarce.

"Meanwhile the community suffers for maybe a couple of years while council puts a band-aid on them."

Mr Cameron has lodged his concerns with a number of government departments and agencies, as well as Federal and State members of parliament, police, ambulance and SES, Rural Fire Service, Mid North Coast Tourism, the Office of Rural Affairs, Manning Tourist Information Centre and Wingham Chamber of Commerce.