Independent Member for Port Macquarie, Peter Besseling, has called on the NSW Government not to walk away from villages by-passed by the Pacific Highway post upgrade openings.

Addressing the NSW Parliament today, Mr Besseling paid tribute to local residents who have, effectively, been living within a giant construction site for the past two-and-a-half years.

He also recognised the social, tourism and economic value of the $580 million Coopernook to Herons Creek upgrade to the Mid-North Coast’s economy but warned the NSW Government not to forget the communities of Moorland, Johns River and Kew, who are facing unfamiliar challenges as a result of being by-passed by highway traffic.

“These concerns have been clearly outlined to me by individual community members, chambers of commerce and the Kew, Johns River and Moorland community associations,” Mr Besseling said.

“The implementation of village plans cannot be simply left to local councils with their limited resources or to local businesses or local fundraising efforts.

“Having raised the expectations of townships with preparation of detailed master plans for former highway surrounds, government must support the economic and social welfare of our communities rather than letting their concerns slip quietly into the night when the excitement and pageantry of the bypass openings move further north,” Mr Besseling said.

“To their enormous credit, these communities have each formed community groups or associations that have been extremely supportive of the broader benefit to the state of the highway upgrade.

“These groups have also worked closely with the RTA and local councils to provide feedback on future plans for their communities to best take advantage of their location adjacent to the new highway and the new amenity of their towns which will provide much-needed rest opportunities for drivers.

“It is now incumbent upon government to support these communities with far more than plans for their townships that have very little in the way of funding commitments from either local councils or state agencies,” Mr Besseling said.

The 33km upgrade is expected to be completed next month, weather permitting, and will deliver dual carriageway from Sydney to Port Macquarie, apart from a bypass of Bulahdelah, which was funded in last week’s state budget.