Westport Road concerns

My wish is to have council permanently repair the hazardous condition on Westport Road.

That is unfortunately the responsibility of Narrabri Council.

The two sections of Westport Road are flooded after rain for some weeks or mired in mud, four wheel vehicles manage to cross, but heavy trucks continue to erode the problem.

The two crossings on the road are one kilometre from the Newell Highway and the second is 10.8km.

Simply by placing two drainage cross pipes and backfilling would solve the problem, certainly less complicated than installing roundabouts with flowers in the town.

But unfortunately ‘out of sight is out of mind’ as we are still compelled to pay our rates and be blessed with their ignorance, as Westport Road incurs grading occasionally and is extremely temporary.

The government has awarded councils some millions of dollars for country road service, I wonder where it all went?

Our idea would be to approach the Australian Defence Force for a Bailey Bridge to cross the worst creek crossing.

I have lived here for almost 20 years and seen installation of one stormwater crossing on Westport road some time ago I contacted the Department of Main Roads, to adopt Westport into their care – they declined.

I then contacted the Minister for Councils, who informed me that council’s charges and work obligations are their responsibility.

That minister strangely changed his portfolio some months later for another.

B McPherson, Narrabri