NAMBUCCA Valley councillors voted at Council’s 16 April meeting to “consider plans for a bicycle and pedestrian connection” between Scotts Head and Macksville in a future Active Transport Strategy for the region.
The prospect of a walk/cycle way linking Scotts Head and Macksville was raised by members of the Scotts Head Community Group (SHCG) in July 2024, leading to an initial desktop feasibility study that estimated a price-tag of $35-$45 million to create the cycleway with an ongoing cost of $25,000 per annum to maintain.
In November 2024, councillors requested a second feasibility study to consider two cheaper options.
This time Council staff estimated costs of $10-11 million for a link between Warrell Waters Road to South Pacific Drive and $6-7 million for a connection between Gumma Reserve to South Pacific Drive, utilising an existing track through Gaagal Wanggaan (South Beach) National Park.
“While both of these routes are a lower cost and provide a link to Macksville they do not provide for a cycleway/walking path all the way Macksville with both routes linking to an on-road portion of the cycleway on Gumma Road and effectively ending the walking path at this connection,” a report to Council stated.
This led to a 20-minute discussion by councillors at last month’s Council meeting, over wording which guaranteed the project would be considered in future planning for the region.
“Everyone knows that we do need it (the cycleway/walkway),” Mayor Lee said after a recent meeting with the SHCG.
“It’s going to take a lot of money through grants to get it, but we don’t want to see this ‘die’,” he said, urging other councillors to consider the plan in future strategies.
Councillor David Jones told the meeting, “Nobody in this room would knock back a footpath connecting our community but the thing we have on our mind is the cost-effectiveness of this compared to other things.”
The Council resolved to “Note the Second Desktop Feasibility Study and consider the Bike/Pedestrian Connection as part of the Active Transport Strategy and any other relevant strategy.”
By Ned COWIE
