Rangari Road progress delayed as Tamworth and Gunnedah councils wait on additional funding

The state government has committed $15.6 million to repair Rangari Road, but Tamworth and Gunnedah councils say an additional $1.4 million is needed to fund the project in full.

Tamworth mayor Russell Webb said council staff can't award the contract without the extra cash, which covers contingency plans.

He said Tamworth and Gunnedah councils have jointly written to the Minister for Transport asking for the another $1.4 million, but have not yet received a response.

Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey said the $15.6 million wouldn't even cover the full project.

"What we have now could not seal the whole road, not in its original tendered scope of works," he said.

"We're waiting on a response from Transport for NSW to see if they will come up with an additional $1.4 million."

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But Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson is encouraging TRC to award the contract and "get on with the job".

"The regional transport minister has assured councils that if there is an additional cost blowout when the project is finished, then contingency plans will be discussed, but the current cost of the road as it stands today is $15.6 million," he said in a statement.

"Over the past two years, the NSW government has committed more than $12 million to the road and in this latest budget, an additional $3.6 million, bringing the total cost to seal this road from Manilla to the edge of Narrabri shire to $15.6 million."

The local community has been fighting for an upgrade of Rangari Road for years, and with further delays, the anticipated completion date of late 2022 will likely be pushed back.

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