One year on, still no solution to Testers Hollow flooding

Now one year on and as the opening of the Hunter Expressway draws near, there is still no confirmation that anything will be done to prevent a similar event happening again.

Member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr tweeted on Thursday:

Almost a month after the 2013 flooding occurred, then-shadow roads minister Ryan Park visited Testers Hollow on invitation by Mr. Barr.

Here, Mr. Park called on the government to step in and help in regards to road funding and encouraged NSW Minister for Roads, Duncan Gay, to visit Testers Hollow and make a decision on what needs to be done.

Mr. Barr said that he had chased up a report on the road shortly before Christmas, but was told that it has not been made available to the public.

At the recent community cabinet meeting held in Maitland, representatives of both Cessnock and Maitland councils met with Mr. Gay to discuss a number of roads in the area.

On the subject of Testers Hollow, Mr. Gay agreed that further investigations need to be undertaken to ensure floods will not restrict movements across the road, which provides an important link to the Hunter Expressway.

Mr. Barr said that he is thankful that Roads and Maritime Services has agreed to do a study, but that timing is everything when it comes to finding a solution.

“The Hunter Expressway is going to change way that drivers move around the Hunter,” he said.

“I raised the issue last year because of the recent flooding, but also because I wanted people to understand that the Expressway is coming and now is the time to act.

“The concern now is that if we get another three weeks of rain and the road goes under again, it is going to be a disaster.

“Will it be fixed, I don’t know.

“Will it be in the budget, we still don’t know.”

The Hunter Expressway is due to open in March, weather permitting.