Parkes bypass leaves business community facing months of downturn

Australia Broadcast Center

29-04-2025

Business owners are pondering what price to put on peace following the opening of a new $287 million bypass in the NSW Central West town of Parkes.
Before the upgrade, more than 1,200 trucks thundered through the town's main street each day on the main inland route between Melbourne and Brisbane.
The noise may have been annoying, but it might be something business owners will come to miss.
Parkes Chamber of Commerce president Geoff Rice said businesses, such as motels and service stations, were "definitely" being impacted by the new bypass and three months of road works needed to build a link to the old Newell Highway.
"It is the same with any sort of road works, you're more inclined to drive past than try and work it out," Mr Rice said.
"The sooner we can get the southern and northern entrances finalised and finished, it will be a definite advantage to the town."
Businesses battling
Troy Thompson runs a caravan dealership on the old Newell Highway, which before the bypass was the entrance to the town.
That road will remain shut for the next three months as work is carried out to connect it to the new highway.
Troy Thompson says the new bypass will significantly impact sales at his caravan business.
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ABC Central West: Hamish Cole
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"It will impact us quite severely until everything gets sorted,"
Mr Thompson said.
"Until then, we will just have to sit on our hands and wait.
"We were always pretty busy before the bypass because the Newell Highway brings a lot of customers into town."
After years of discussions about a bypass around the town, famous for the annual Elvis Festival and Parkes Telescope, the new road opened in April after construction started in 2021.
Parkes Shire Council Mayor Neil Westcott said businesses on the old entrance to the town faced a very "tight and tough" time while the upgrades were carried out.
He said the work would be beneficial for the town in the long run.
"I am well aware of the businesses that are on the old highway that will be feeling a real impact at the moment," Cr Westcott said.
"We do have to go through this period of adjustment to come out the other side, I think in the long term though it will be fantastic."
Before the bypass, a heavy vehicle passed through Parkes every minute.
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ABC Central West: Hamish Cole
)
Improved signage needed
Complaints about the new bypass include the lack of signs encouraging motorists to divert into Parkes.
The Parkes Shire Council has set aside $1 million for improved signage at the bypass to entice people to enter the town.
Meanwhile, the federal Nationals have promised $465,000 if elected to go towards the project.
For Mr Thompson, the infrastructure should have been built before the opening of the bypass to prevent confusion amongst tourists.
"That needs to have been done yesterday, it just goes without saying because if no one knows how to get here then who is going to come in?
"There is just a bit of difficulty for people to get into town and work out where we are with how much of a rat race it is."
Neil Westcott believes the bypass will bring long-term benefits to the town.
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ABC Central West: Hamish Cole
)
Cr Westcott said the downturn was consistent with the experience of other communities that have had a bypass built.
"There is an initial lull in business activity and then it picks up pretty quick, I don't think Parkes will be any different," he said.
"Particularly as people discover the way into town and the fact that it is a quiet, more peaceful town."
Road train reduction
Before the opening of the bypass, more than 1,200 trucks and road trains would pass through Parkes.
The town is on a main transport route for vehicles transporting goods between Melbourne and Brisbane.
The Parkes Bypass opened in April after construction started in 2021.
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ABC Central West: Hamish Cole
)
Mr Rice believes the reduction in trucks will eventually result in more people stopping in town in the future.
"If you were hoping to pull up and there was a road train sneaking down behind you, you did go 'Oh well, maybe I'll just keep going'.
"
There is definitely the ability to actually pick-up some of that passing trade that will be able to stop and park.
"
The number of trucks entering the town was projected to more than double over the next 15 years with the completion of the Inland Rail project.
"Those movements were untenable, we were going to have to have the bypass for that alone," Cr Westcott said.