Have your say on Cessnock City Council's Traffic and Transport Strategy

The city's population is predicted to grow by 34,000 new residents by 2041, and the Traffic and Transport Strategy will provide Cessnock City Council with a plan to sustainably manage transport and improve access to housing, jobs and services.

In order to develop the strategy, a study will be conducted to consider and determine travel patterns, road categories and widths; car parking in centres and villages; active transport, travel behaviour change; road safety, and congestion; public transport needs and services; road safety, capacity and congestion; public transport needs and services, land use and transport integration.

The study will be conducted over a six-month period and will also seek to identify current transport issues; needs and future challenges; setting new directions, evaluating options to meet the immediate, medium, and long-term transport needs of the Cessnock LGA.

Cessnock mayor Jay Suvaal said the Traffic and Transport Strategy would assist the council to plan for the future.

"The Cessnock local government area is growing fast with many people moving to our area to enjoy the relaxed lifestyle," Cr Suvaal said.

"This strategy will assist council to plan into the future to ensure the needs of our community are understood and met."

As part of the Traffic and Transport Strategy study, the community is invited to provide feedback by completing an online survey which is open until 5pm October 28 at together.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/cessnock-tats.

Community information sessions will be held at Branxton Community Hall on Thursday, October 27 from 3pm to 6pm; and Kurri Kurri Tennis Club on Thursday, October 27 from 4pm to 7pm (sessions were held in Cessnock last week).

Council will also conduct stakeholder workshops, an open day to view and discuss the draft strategy, and public exhibition of the Draft Traffic and Transport Strategy at a later date.

Cr Suvaal said once the Traffic and Transport Strategy is complete, council will be able to proceed with a concept design for the Cessnock CBD bypass (known as the 'ring road').

Council will put funds from the sale of the Vineyard Grove development towards the concept plan for the ring road, which is designed to alleviate traffic hotspots from Bellbird through to East Cessnock.

Council also resolved at its September meeting to apply to the NSW Government's Accelerated Infrastructure Fund for road widening projects on Wollombi Road from Francis Street to West Avenue, and Abbotsford Street to Francis Street; and and intersection improvements on Wollombi Road at the Abbotsford Street and Cox Street junctions at Bellbird.

These projects would benefit the Bellbird North development and would include developer contributions.

"The city is growing in response to the need for housing, but we have got to have the infrastructure to support it," Cr Suvaal said.

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