A farmer with ailing well being says he lies awake at night time apprehensive in regards to the state of his water-damaged driveway after being locked in a 12-month battle with Transport for NSW.
Key factors:
- Coonabarabran farmer George Collis has been in a 12-month battle with Transport for NSW over the state of his driveway
- He claims Transport for NSW dug a desk drain inflicting water flows from the Oxley Freeway to flood his driveway
- The 86-year-old has required an ambulance thrice and worries they won’t be able to achieve him shortly sufficient if the driveway deteriorates additional
George Collis, 86, lives on a farm close to Coonabarabran in western New South Wales on the busy Oxley Freeway.
Final yr’s higher-than-average rainfall caused significant road damage state-wide.
However Mr Collis mentioned it additionally left his driveway nearly impassable.
“I’ve lived right here 31 years and have by no means seen rainfall prefer it,” he mentioned.
“I realise all people’s received water issues and mine are actually small, however they’re huge to me.”
He blames the state of his driveway on a desk drain that was dug by Transport for NSW that he says was created after timber had been cleared at his request.
It is a declare that Transport for NSW denies, regardless of providing help to assist repair the issue.
“I walked out one night time to see the place all of the water was coming from and realised they hadn’t cleared it, however dug it deeper.”
Mr Collis, who lives downhill from his neighbours, mentioned he found the water flowing down into the desk drain and onto his property, subsequently washing out his driveway.
Mr Collis mentioned he has required an ambulance to attend his property thrice since his driveway washed away and every time it took them longer to rise up to his dwelling.
He was apprehensive that someday they could arrive too late.
Letters go unanswered
Mr Collis mentioned he had written numerous letters to Transport for NSW to get them to come back to repair the water harm.
“I am going to mattress at night time enthusiastic about it, I get up within the morning enthusiastic about it,” he mentioned.
“I’ve definitely received stress from it.”
However for months his letters went unanswered.
Lastly on October 25, Mr Collis obtained a letter from Transport for NSW, which mentioned it recognised the continued enquiry had “prompted misery” and because of this supplied to produce Mr Collis with 66 tonnes of highway base gravel, with out admission of legal responsibility.
The catch was Mr Collis, an 86-year-old man with diminished mobility, must grade, unfold, or compact the gravel.
“I mentioned to them, even with the gravel it isn’t going to repair the water downside,” Mr Collis mentioned.
“My son and myself have put gravel on the driveway twice already, and it simply washes away when the water will get in there.”
Banned for 12 months
The letter additionally banned him from contacting the division for 12 months.
It suggested Mr Collis that his frequent calls and emails in regards to the state of affairs had been posing a “important pressure” on their sources.
Mr Collis mentioned he simply wished to converse to somebody.
“The folks on the cellphone who’re writing these letters to you would not have a clue what’s taking place,” he mentioned.
Transport for NSW delivered the gravel to Mr Collis’s property final month.
Nevertheless it stays dumped at his entrance gate.
In an announcement, a spokesperson for Transport NSW mentioned it “takes buyer issues very significantly and is happy with the findings of the investigation”.
“There are a selection of long-standing drains, which permit for the secure and efficient motion of water within the space.”
