Dear Editor, The Eurobodalla Shire Councils response to delays caused by the Batemans Bay Bridge being stuck in the open position is to rush off to the RMS seeking an urgent grant to build a wharf on the western side of the Batemans Bay Bride at west Clyde Street. Are we really expected to believe this is a well thought out plan? The location of the MV Merinda at the Promenade Plaza allows for coaches to drop off and pick up passengers for cruises. This important tourist operation has co-existed for many years alongside the bus and coaches providing local and long distance services at the Promenade Plaza. Should the cruise operator be relocated to west Clyde Street, traffic lights would need to be installed for cars and coaches to enter the Princes Highway. Do Rob Pollock and Warren Sharpe believe an additional set of traffic lights on the Princes Highway operating 24 hrs a day is preferable to the short delays motorists experience when the bridge is opened on occasions throughout the day? Had Rob Pollock consulted with tourist operators before lodging his ill conceived motion he would have realised the extent of lost tourist dollars caused by the RMS failure to properly maintain the Batemans Bay Bridge. Action is required to fix the problem Immediately. A coach tour to Batemans Bay provides significant income for motel operators, tourist attractions and shops. If the bridge cannot be opened for a river cruise, coach tours lose an essential attraction and operators will go elsewhere. A wharf in west Clyde Street should be only considered when the new Batemans Bay Bridge is completed. In the interim all Councillors should be writing to the RMS and asking them to fix the existing bridge as a matter of urgency and stressing the adverse financial impact on local businesses. Council has restricted the amount of parking available to businesses fronting Clyde and North Streets in recent years. If Council has done its job with the redeveloped Bridge Plaza, there should be sufficient parking for all business in that part of the CBD to prosper. Yours Faithfully, Paul Gilligan Mogo
