mmg.com.au

Committee for Echuca-Moama chief executive officer Hayden Cock said the promise of an estimated $60million from the NSW Government for a new bridge was tremendous, as long as the money is there when it counted.

Mr Cock said he was pleasantly surprised when he read about the announcement last week.

‘‘It’s great. It gets the ball rolling,’’ he said.

Mr Cock said while the news was positive, he hoped the money would not disappear, as had happened in the past.

‘‘If that money has been locked away and committed...then that’s tremendous.’’

He said it also showed the community had been able to get the need for a new bridge back on the agenda.

Member for Rodney Paul Weller said the announcement was positive.

‘‘I think it’s good. It’s supportive of Victoria,’’ he said.

The Victorian Government recently announced Echuca-Moama’s second bridge crossing as its number one Murray River bridge priority in its submission to Infrastructure Australia, but there has been no mention of cost.

The NSW Government announced the funding last week through its Bridges for the Bush program which will upgrade or replace bridges to improve freight efficiency across the state.

It is the first reference to monetary commitment by NSW, Victorian or Federal governments.