Spring into Corrimal organisers are angry that Bulli Pass will be closed during their popular festival in September.
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Comments from Roads and Maritime Services suggests there won’t be any change of plans.
Corrimal Chamber of Commerce president and Spring into Corrimal chair Paul Boultwood said he was not happy that the Bulli Pass closure included the festival date of September 10.
“They never rang me and I take a bit of offence that they say there’s no significant event on in that period, considering the fact that we’re now the largest one-day free family festival in regional NSW,” Mr Boultwood said.
“We get people from southwest Sydney – Penrith, Blacktown – and as far as Newcastle and Port Macquarie come to the festival.
“I think it’s a wrong move for them to close it on the weekend of Spring into Corrimal.”
Mr Boultwood said he’d be suggesting to Roads and Maritime Services that, if the pass could be opened for the October long weekend, the same thing should happen for Spring into Corrimal.
If the volunteers’ efforts were unsuccessful and the pass was closed for the weekend of September 10, Mr Boultwood said it wouldn’t be the end of the festival.
“The festival will keep on going but I think it will impact on the attendance rates and also lead to confusion with the people who have come down here for the last three to four years, especially from Sydney, they won’t know where to go,” he said.
A Roads and Maritime Services spokesman said it had based the timing of the closure around the months where the pass experienced lower traffic volumes.
The spokesman said there was no spike in traffic for the Spring into Corrimal weekend.
“Roads and Maritime Services was aware of the event and traffic volumes in previous years of the Spring into Corrimal are similar to weekends either side of the event,” the spokesman said.
“Given the local nature of the event, detour routes in place for the closure are considered appropriate.”
The spokesman said the five months’ advanced notice of the closure was to allow motorists time to plan their journey.
“Roads and Maritime thanks the community for its patience while this important safety work is carried out,” the spokesman said.