Liberal candidate for Bendigo East Ian Ellis floated the idea this week, as a means of easing congestion in central parts of a growing city. 

The unfunded plan would connect Ravenswood to Huntly, via Marong and Eaglehawk by upgrading existing roads.

“Council (the City of Greater Bendigo) estimates are for almost double the current population for Bendigo and surrounds, so looking at a ring road, now, before we get to that size is paramount,” he said.

Greens candidate for Bendigo East Nakita Thomson said she was astounded the Liberal Party, an organisation she said prided itself on sound economic policy, would promote something that stifled local business.

Read more: Liberal candidate for Bendigo East Ian Ellis pushes ring road idea

“We have a problem in Victoria with politicians announcing large planning projects without consulting or listening to expert advice just to try and get votes without any thought to how the project will be done and what possible impact it could have,” she said.

Ms Thomson, who is studying a master of planning at La Trobe University, said the plan made no mention of land acquisition which she believed would be required if roads near Eaglehawk were to be upgraded.

“The ring road would be a disaster for local small business reliant on people passing through Bendigo, this route would not just divert heavy vehicles, it would also divert cars which may have previously stopped in Bendigo,” she said.

“The proposed ring road would likely have to cut through already fragmented box Ironbark vegetation in Eaglehawk, we have endangered phascogales in these remaining pockets of land and this would further put them at risk of being wiped out.”

Ms Thomson said alternative transport solutions, like parking-protected bikes lanes in the CBD could be considered instead of a ring road.

Mr Ellis’ idea was dismissed by incumbent Labor MP Jacinta Allan as an “unplanned, unfunded thought bubble”.

However La Trobe University senior planning and development lecturer Andrew Butt said there was merit in linking Marong and the Midland Highway north of Huntly if Marong was to become an industrial centre. 

“Whether it solves the traffic problem would be questionable because many of those are about the lack of choices people have, or make, in transport within Bendigo,” he said.

Ian Ellis on Thursday said the ring road should be designed as a transport option for people not wishing to stop in Bendigo.

“The more you get trucks out of the city the better - trucks and little kids don't mix - it's a disaster waiting to happen,” he said, referencing the Howard Street and Midland Highway intersection, which has been the subject of recent concern from parents and students. 

Mr Ellis said existing roads near the Ironbark forest in Eaglehawk could be used, but was unsure whether trees would have to make way to upgrade those roads given the plan was in its infancy.

He suggested he didn’t think any houses would need to be compulsorily acquired as part of the plan.

“I would like to see a plan put down to see whether it (ring road) is feasible,” he said.

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