Businesses along the Oxley Highway in Walcha and Wauchope say motorbike tourism has dropped since the speed limit was reduced in December 2017 from 100km/h to 80km/h along a 44km stretch of the road between the two towns, but exactly why appears to be unclear.
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Garry Hartas has relied on motorbike tourists stopping off at his cafe in Gingers Creek for the last 13 years.
“In the first six weeks following the speed reduction my banking was down easily over 50 percent,” Mr Hartas said.
“The accommodation has been zilch, its gone from 20 to 30 guests per week to nothing for the last two months. Admittedly over Christmas, you’ve got double demerits and stinking hot weather but it hasn’t improved, and I got close to laying off two people because there is normally 100 or 200 bikes out there and we’ve been lucky to get 30 but the last two weekends have been better.”
Toni Heaney from the Walcha Royal Cafe says her takings are down after a brief increase just prior to the changes.
“We are not getting the bike business we used to, and I believe it is because people don't realise that the original complex speed change proposal was not implemented.”
The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) had originally proposed a reduction from 100km/h to 70km/h for a 27km stretch of the road as well as 8km of 80km/h.
MP Kevin Anderson told the Leader on Wednesday he was meeting with the Regional Director of the RMS John Alexander that afternoon and would raise the issue with him.
“If there is confusion about what the new speed limit is along the highway then absolutely that does need to be addressed,” Mr Anderson said.
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Vanessa Arundale
Everyone has a story to tell and I like to help them do it.
Everyone has a story to tell and I like to help them do it.
