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IN A RECENT article in the Byron Shire Echo, the Butler Street Community Network say they warned of the cost blowout a year ago and are highly critical of the mayor’s continual support of the route.
Their representative Paul Jones told The Echo, ‘The rail corridor route was costed less than Council’s proposal and now they are facing down very costly development conditions imposed by their own approval.
‘Despite a mountain of objections, Council sees fit to work against its community rather than for it. If there were no alternative, this may be a defence, but Council doggedly continues this attack in the face of the commonsense rail corridor bypass solution that avoids almost all community concerns and would deliver a safe and secure traffic route.’
Mr Jones also says that while Council claimed the corridor could not be used as a bypass owing to a lack of state government permission, the Rail Corridor Park Masterplan promoted its use as a public area, presumably under state-approved council authority.
‘We are outraged. The Town Masterplan refused point blank to discuss the bypass issue as their consultants had been warned off.’