Councillors voted on Tuesday night not to accept any of the tenders or put the project out to another tender process, cancel the contract and ask state and federal grant funding agencies for permission to use the $2.5 million for the southern feeder road.

The two governments each contributed $1.25 million to the project and in his report to councillors, acting technical services director Wayne Gailey said a further $1.24 million in developer contributions brought the total pool to $3.74 million. 

But of the three tenders submitted, two were less than $4.9 million and the other was “significantly more”, with an extra $750,000 required to cover project management, compliance with John Holland Rail and contingency funds. 

“In total, the bridge construction is estimated to be in the order of $5.65 million, hence there are insufficient funds to progress the works without deferring other pressing road upgrade projects such as the Northern Distributor Road at Clergate Road,” Mr Gailey said. 

The report said cost estimates were put together by the council’s works staff, based on previous work, and it was likely requirements to keep the existing bridge operational, maintain pedestrian access and work around rail movements could have been considered risks. 

Councillor Kevin Duffy said he didn’t see any need for B-doubles to use Peisley Street.

“It’s one time where I think the tenderers have done a fantastic job for the city of Orange to stop the chaos that was going to happen,” he said. 

Cr Duffy said the southern feeder road was a better use of funds to enable B-doubles to use Dairy Creek Road and avoid the CBD, while councillor Glenn Taylor said common sense had prevailed. 

“Doesn’t it make more sense that we revisit the bridge in a couple of years’ time when we’ve got the southern feeder road in place?” he said.

“Anson Street, particularly in school times, would have been pandemonium.”

Councillor Tony Mileto suggested a level crossing might be more appropriate, however Mr Gailey said the state government did not support the treatment.  

Mayor Reg Kidd began state government representations on Wednesday.