Kellie Sloane
NSW Opposition Leader
NSW Liberal Leader
Paul Toole
Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads
Five weeks after the closure of Victoria Pass on the Great Western Highway, the Liberals and Nationals are demanding transparency around the reopening of this critical transport corridor.
Transport for NSW first reported surface damage and then structural movement at Mitchell’s Bridge, known as the Convict Causeway, in early March which led to a minimum three-month closure.
Traffic has been diverted via a winding tourist drive and through the Lithgow CBD, placing significant strain on local roads and communities, with heavy traffic reported over the Easter long weekend.
Opposition Leader, Kellie Sloane, said business, freight operators and residents impacted deserved timely answers.
“The Minns Labor Government said they wouldn’t hold back information and yet five weeks on there is no clarity as to how long these repairs will take amid speculation it will be much longer than the three months indicated,” Ms Sloane said.
“Local businesses, freight operators and residents living in the Blue Mountains and Central West deserve transparency around timelines and reassurance about what support they will receive if it is not fixed soon.”
“The Great Western Highway plays a critical role in keeping goods moving to Sydney and the coast. Disrupt it, and it impacts jobs, prices and economic stability across the whole state."
Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the community’s patience has run out and they want answers.
“This isn’t a minor inconvenience, it impacts locals, businesses, freight operators and families each and every day. They're being ignored by a city-centric Labor Government which is hiding behind ‘investigations’ while real people are paying the price every single day,” Mr Toole said.
“If this was Sydney, the fix would be underway. We’re a third of the way through the estimated closure period and no further ahead - no solution, no answers. Regional communities are fed up with being treated like second-class citizens.”
“As commuters sit stuck in traffic, it is an important reminder that both the Federal and State Labor Governments made the decision to cut the long-planned road project through the mountains.”
According to Destination NSW, Central West Tourism alone brings in around $4.9 million every single day to the Central West and supports more than 2,300 local businesses.