THE Yarrawonga-Mulwala replacement bridge saga has erupted in controversy with green route supporters being accused of circulating misleading information during the Federation Council survey period of Mulwala residents presently underway.
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Prominent grey route supporter Peter Bennett has written to Federation councillors upset with claims made in the green route flyer including it being the safest route through Mulwala for "trucks of the future", cheaper to build by between $20 and $30 million and keeping alive the option of saving the existing bridge.
But he is most upset with a map showing the grey route continuing up the Yarrawonga main street when plans for large vehicles to be directed into Irvine Parade at the southern end of the bridge connecting the two towns were well known.
"It is misleading in that it doesn't draw where the grey route actually goes," Mr Bennett said.
"It is designed to sway peoples' opinions that the grey route goes through the middle of town, but that is incorrect."
Mulwala Progress Association chairman Robert Purtle authorised the flyer and accepted the grey route shown on the flyer could be misleading, but stood by all other claims made.
"We are looking to the future rather than the here and now," he said.
"The trucks transporting material to and from Thales won't be able to travel on the grey route and will have to go through Tocumwal or Corowa.
"The majority of people in the town want to save the bridge.
"To do that they have to vote green."
Mr Purtle said a string of reports on the bridge justified the claims in the flyer.
"The people want and value a main street to main street connection," he said.
"The people who want to keep the old bridge and the green route want to have their cake and eat it also.
"You don't build a bridge system to take big trucks out of a town when they are one in a thousand vehicles using the bridge now.
"Most trips are local and when this town is packed out with tourists they are also going back and forth across the bridge either walking, cycling or driving."
"This one is also non-compulsory and is another waste of money."