Roundabout needed to kick start Northern Gateway Transport Hub at Cundletown

The roundabout would need to be constructed at the intersection of Emerton Close and Princes Street to give owner of the proposed transport hub lot, Jim Pearson Transport, access as well as cater for any future developments.

At a manufacturing forum held last month, representatives of the company outlined the importance of the roundabout but stressed the cost of creating the roundabout should not be left to them.

Jim Pearson Transport field and special projects manager Roy Cottrell told Manning River Times the company is ready to go with the construction of transport hub but requires the roundabout before they can begin. 

“For us to move forward, we need that corner to be accessible. There’s no way we could commit ourselves to a roundabout which wouldn’t belong to us.

“We’d put in a construction certificate tomorrow if that access on to our block of land was there.

“We’re saying we’re ready to go, we’re happy to make a contribution to those facilities which is normal in the council sense but we just can’t bear that total,” Mr Cottrell said. 

MidCoast Council's growth, economic development and tourism manager Deb Tuckerman said council is looking to secure funding for the roundabout. 

“(At the forum) Council provided an overview of the project and potential benefits of the project which was one of three ‘very high’ priorities identified in the MidCoast Regional Economic Development Strategy. 

“Our initial focus is on securing funding for a major roundabout which is required to facilitate the project, estimated to cost around $5 million.

“Ultimately a roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Princes Street to service the transport hub.

“Consent was granted on May 1, 2017 for a truck depot (Jim Pearson Transport), which is the beginning of the transport hub. 

“While an upgrade of the intersection is required for Jim Pearson Transport to operate from the site, a roundabout will be required before further development of the northern gateway and service station/motel redevelopment where the Cundletown Motel currently sits.

“A roundabout required for a four way intersection, especially given the need for B-doubles to safely manoeuvre and given its close proximity to the highway – we need to avoid vehicles backing up onto the highway.

“MidCoast Council is proceeding with a roundabout design to cater for the future development of the Northern Gateway, and is seeking funding to assist in the construction of this roundabout to provide a catalyst for development in this location and to benefit the wider community,” Ms Tuckerman said. 

The transport hub will allow drivers to change trucks, refuel as well as break up single driving stints.

The site will include fuel and mechanical facilities and a distribution shed - crucial and safe measures for the company that services between Sydney and Brisbane.

The company created a similar depot at Grafton. Within five years, the site’s workforce welcomed steady growth.

Mr Cottrell said the Cundletown site will boast similar benefits for staff, the community and economy.

“It’s all designed so we now need to go through the construction certificate side of it and then once that’s done we can start. We’d be in operation within 12 to 18 months.

“The workshop up there (Grafton) when it was built had three mechanics - it’s now got 20 odd staff.

“The same thing would happen here what we’re looking at currently employing 70 odd truck drivers - that will go to about 100 or even more,” Mr Cottrell said.

Mr Cottrell said trucks would no longer be required to travel through town once the site is constructed.

Ms Tuckerman said the transport hub would ensure reduced transport movements through the Taree CBD by up about 700 truck movements a day.

She added the transport hub will provide many opportunities to grow manufacturing in the region. 

“Manufacturing has been a strong local employer in the past, especially in places like Taree. 

“We continue to have a range of very innovative manufacturing businesses across the Mid Coast. 

“The MidCoast Regional Economic Development Strategy recognises that manufacturing is a strong opportunity where it can leverage the competitive advantages of the area such as infrastructure and location.

“There are obviously trends and drivers of change impacting on manufacturing such as increasing use of technology in production and manufacturing which require changes in skills requirements to adopt new technology; and improvements in transport and freight infrastructure, facilitating more efficient freight movements,” Ms Tuckerman said.

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