Yesterday Mayor Peter Mansfield said “tentative” arrangements were in place to meet the minister early next month on the issue which has Moira and Corowa shire councils at odds on the favoured alignment.

Confirmation of the ministerial intervention came on the same day Corowa council confirmed its support for the “grey” route next to the present main road bridge.

Moira supports the “green” route near the railway bridge, as does a cont-ingent of Yarrawonga- Mulwala residents who attended yesterday’s meeting.

They included former Corowa councillors Paul Talbot and Peter Seeliger, Club Mulwala chief executive Michael Mullarvey and Mulwala Progress Association chairman Rob Purtle.

EDITORIAL: Yes, minister, you sort it out

Corowa Council and mayor Fred Longmire have resisted pressure to change their support from the grey to green routes.

“To endorse the grey route is correct, notwithstanding there is mounting pressure to have council roll over because of the information being circulated, which may sometimes be misleading,” Cr Longmire said.

“The Corowa Council has played its role in a diligent and responsible manner.

“The council is not the decision-maker, but this bridge needs to be built.”

The grey route would feed southbound traffic either into Belmore Street or down Irvine Parade on the Yarrawonga side.

Mr Purtle told councillors yesterday opposition to the support of the grey route remained.

“A lot of people are concerned where the grey route meets Yarrawonga and don’t think the Corowa Shire has taken into account the effect it will have on Yarrawonga,” he said.

“I could just imagine this weekend if the weir bridge was shut, the chaos that would happen in Belmore Street.

“The majority of store-keepers in Yarrawonga want to see the green route and traffic taken out of the main street.

“The people of Mulwala are concerned about today, but in 20 to 30 years our children will be asking why couldn’t we have a bypass of our two main centres?”