Campaspe Shire Mayor Peter Williams has rejected claims councillors were bullied into accepting the Mid-West option for a new bridge across the Murray River at Echuca.

Cr Williams declared a conflict of interest because his business is on the proposed route and while he didn't participate in debate, he said he didn't support the claim from State Member for Rodney Paul Weller that the Victorian Government forced the council's hand.

"My fellow councillors may have made decisions for a variety of reasons," Cr Williams said.

"I am unaware of any overt bullying by the department."

Mr Weller has accused the government of pressuring councillors into believing they would not get a second river crossing at EchucaMoama unless they supported the Mid-West alignment.

Debate on the proposal went for more than two hours and 15 people addressed the council meeting last Tuesday before councillors voted to back the alignment.

Mr Weller said it was clear from the debate the government's tactic was "riding roughshod over country Victorians".

"It was made very clear by a number of councillors at the meeting that they were voting in favour of the Mid-West corridor because they had been told by the Roads Minister (Tim Pallas) that it was the only option," Mr Weller said.

He said a golden opportunity had been missed at the meeting for council to defer a decision on the Mid-West corridor to allow time to test the merits of an alternate alignment - the Mid-West Two option.

He said the Mid-West Two option was a true compromise position representing the community.

"There will now be a detailed planning process to go through which will present an opportunity for the community to continue to voice its concerns about the MidWest option."