Duncan Gay was in the city yesterday for the official opening of the new $8 million Tangaratta Creek Bridge on the Oxley Highway, but also took the opportunity to look at the upgrade plans for the Tribe St/Manilla Rd intersection.

Tamworth Regional Council has been working with Roads and Maritime Services on the future upgrade of the busy junction, coming up with an $8 million plan that will include the addition of a slip lane from Tribe St onto Manilla Rd.

The slip lane is part of stage one of the project, which comes in at $2.2 million, an amount Mr Gay said he was committed to finding, although he was unable to provide a timeframe for at this point.

“And if we’re looking to fund stage one, then I would be looking to try and find the whole lot,” he said.

Mr Gay said he could appreciate the urgency of the upgrade given new developments on Moore Creek Rd that would only add to the current congestion in years to come.

“There are inherent traffic problems, but that’s what happens in a vibrant city that’s developing like Tamworth is,” he said.

“It’s not only Sydney where there’s congestion like this; Tamworth motorists are facing it on a daily basis.”

While in the city, member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson also briefed Mr Gay on the council’s push for a multi-million dollar container terminal at Westdale.

The rail terminal, proposed for Wallamore Rd, would be an alternative way to shift freight around the region.

The council was disappointed there was no money allocated for the project in the recent state budget, but Mr Gay said he was keen to learn more about it and just how much was needed to bring it to fruition.

The government would also have to be convinced there was the market to support it, “otherwise there’s no point”.

“This kind of project is important for regional jobs and industry, but there has to be a degree of legitimacy to it,” Mr Gay said.

While in Tamworth he also visited the New England Highway/Meadows Ln intersection where he officially unveiled a new turning lane designed to make the road safer for the 3000 motorists who use that section of road every day.