At a meeting on Monday night, councillor David Grimble requested Mr Bhalla become well-versed in the city’s integrated transport needs and the Horsham bypass debate specifically.

Cr Grimble submitted a statement requesting that Mr Bhalla lead the community with his experience in the transport sector.

Mr Bhalla – who started at council three months ago – said he considered a discussion about transport needs a high priority. 

He said the Horsham bypass was a complex issue. 

Read more: Advisory committee to advance Horsham bypass discussion

Council supports a bypass of Horsham, but has not endorsed any route options.  

“I will come from a different point of view. First we need to determine what our transport objectives are to improve the liveability of our regional city and that should help have conversations about the bypass,” Mr Bhalla said.

Read more: VicRoads clarifies Horsham bypass direction to council ​

He said he planned to revisit council’s transport strategy to identify transport requirements.

“We have done a transport strategy that has not been endorsed by council,” he said. “It is my priority to resurrect the strategy in one form or another. 

“It is about how we can build on all the information that we already have and get a clear position on what we need as a community to improve the liveability of Horsham.” 

Read more: Horsham Council backflips on bypass stance

Mr Bhalla said Horsham had a lot of traffic travelling through from the south and from the industrial estate.

He said any transport solution should accommodate the traffic generated within the city, and traffic that terminated in Horsham.

Read more: Horsham bypass talks over the past 10 years

He said once council determined its strategic needs, it could provide advice to the state government.

“Obviously the bypass of Horsham is a state government project and we have to be involved in that project because it has a huge impact on our community because it will be a long-lasting legacy,” he said.