Ring road around city `may be the option’

THE Bendigo Business Council wants to see heavy vehicles out of Pall Mall and a ring road built around the city to aid the city’s traffic issues.Bendigo Business Council executive officer Kevin de Vries said the council would put a submission to the Bendigo Road Transport Strategy, which is being developed by the City of Greater Bendigo and VicRoads.“We’d like to see heavy trucks off the spine of Napier Street, Pall Mall and High Street and a ring road might be one option,” he said.“Now that Geelong has one and Ballarat has a bypass, maybe this is what’s needed. “Whether it swings over to Mandurang or Strathfieldsaye, I know there’d be resident resistance to it.“We need to discuss it but we’re not close-minded to a ring road.“Heavy vehicle trucks take away from a liveable growing city that we are.“Imagine what it would be like if it’s 25 per cent worse?“That’s one of the outcomes we want.”Bendigo Traders Association spokesman Jock Clark said they would make a submission but were keen to see what issues the draft strategy raises.“Until we have something on the table we’re wasting our time talking about it,” he said. “It’s all intertwined.“We can’t talk about a road strategy and not mention the buses on Mitchell Street.“Consultation is what it’s all about.“We’ve got thoughts on what needs to be done but we’ll wait and see.”The strategy will replace the Bendigo 2020 Transportation study that was adopted in 1993.A draft strategy is expected to be completed by the middle of this year and the final strategy should be finished by the end of the year.Next Tuesday a community information day will be held at The Capital from 10am to 8pm to raise issues with representatives from VicRoads and the council.