Macalister MP Melissa McMahon, a member of the government, has asked Transport Minister Mark Bailey to consider alternative routes for the Coomera Connector, which is proposed to run through Eagleby.

Mrs McMahon said she will launch a petition asking Mr Bailey and his Transport Department to rethink the proposed route, gazetted in March to run close to RAMSAR wetlands, cane farms and near houses.

She said she decided on the petition after hearing concerns from her local community at a recent meeting with top-level department officials.

“The alignment of the Coomera Connector around Eagleby is an issue for many people in the community,” she said.

“It was an issue I raised in my first statement after seeing the gazetted corridor.

“I am not, and have never been, happy with the alignment of the corridor in Eagleby. It is clear to me that TMR did not do the right thing here when it came to consulting with the community.

“As their local member, it is my job to voice their concerns. So I am now petitioning to have TMR look at different options.”

Eagleby Community and Wetlands Group chairman Marilyn Goodwin said residents were delighted with Mrs McMahon’s call for a review.

“It’s obvious to us that a mistake was made with the route and now we hope the minister will get a chance to see reason.”

Mrs McMahon will be inviting residents to fill out the petition before she will present it to Mr Bailey.

Mrs McMahon came up with the petition idea after residents met with David Greene, the senior policy adviser to Transport Minister Mark Bailey last month.

At that meeting, residents showed an alternative route, and less expensive route, to the one the government was proposing.

The residents’ route crosses the Logan River once, unlike the government’s proposed plan which crosses the Logan twice and the Albert River.

Mrs McMahon’s petition will be available to sign at Mrs McMahon’s office and she will also be attending community events and door knocking Eagleby residents to notify them of the petition.