President of the Clarence Town and District Progress Association Brian Farmer said the proposed ‘way forward’ by the association was based on the pragmatic reality that the bridge has been allowed to deteriorate to a point of no return.

“It really is decay by neglect by the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) who are the owners and custodians of a State-listed heritage item,” Mr Farmer said.

“Under the Heritage Act, RMS is required to properly maintain the item which it has failed to do.”

The bridge refurbishment was announced by the government in 2012 and the RMS has recently started design work which will take approximately two years from now to completion.

The current RMS intention is to retain a single lane bridge after refurbishment.

Mr Farmer said the current RMS intention has been to  not  provide or allow pedestrian or cycle access across the bridge but which is required.

 “The current plans will also mean the bridge could be unusable for months during refurbishment, totally disrupting emergency services, school buses, mail deliveries and garbage collection during the process,” Mr Farmer said.

“In addition, the capital costs of refurbishment are higher than a new bridge.

“A new bridge could be located more economically and more functionally adjacent to the existing bridge with refurbishment works on the existing bridge allowing ongoing usage for pedestrian and cycle access.”

The progress association wants a new concrete two lane bridge upstream of the current bridge, then to replace the bridge with a new smaller width pedestrian bridge of similar side appearance to the existing bridge.

Mr Farmer took photos of the bridge at the beginning of December last year.

The photos show massive timber rot with bolts holding the air together, rotting ends of a bridge transverse beam, rotting guard rails and badly twisted trusses.

The Dungog Chronicle endeavoured to get a comment from the RMS but was unsuccessful at the time of going to press.