The council has resolved not to take over ownership of the Crown road portion of Garthowen Road at Tannas Mount, located around 30 kilometres south of the Bathurst central business district.

Around half of the total length of Garthowen Road is already council owned and maintained.

While the decision was left to the councillors to make, the director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, had advised them of the significant costs that would be involved if council was to take over the road.

Amid a multimillion dollar asset maintenance backlog and further financial pressures, the council would have had to spend $300,000 just to repair the road to an acceptable standard.

That is in addition to other legal and acquisition costs, which the director explained would have resulted from the road in use not being aligned within the dedicated road reserve.

"Funding is not available from the NSW state government to under take the works, should the road be transferred into the council's ownership," Mr Sturgiss said in his report.

He also highlighted an ongoing annual maintenance cost of $5000.

Councillor Ian North advocated for the Garthowen Road residents during discussion of the report at the March 20, 2024 council meeting, but it did not sway the decision.

He and Cr Robert Taylor were the only ones to vote against the motion for council not to take over the Crown road.

The resident of Garthowen Road wrote a joint letter to the council requesting it to take over the road.

They spoke of the poor quality of the road, which they said is damaging their vehicles.

"The road is in disrepair, there are potholes and deep gutters along and across the road," the residents said.

"When it rains it further erodes the structure of the road. The gravel has been washed away and the road is back to subsoil.

"Residents and farmers use the road every day and are having to continually repair tyres."

Garthowen Road residents are also worried about a loss of services they rely on, such as postal services, water specialist services, livestock cartage, and builders.

"Such services will soon be in jeopardy of not being able to access properties along the road," they said.

They also expressed concern about the safety of all road users, including any emergency services personnel who might need to access their properties.

"There are elderly residents who have needed to get the ambulance service to their houses and properties along the road," the residents said.

"We are worried the paramedics are also at risk, particularly if they have to arrive in an emergency situation.

"This concern also applies to firefighting crews, particularly as we are entering the peak of the bushfire season."

Residents fear there will be an accident if the road is not repaired.