GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY CLOSURE EXPOSES NEED FOR LONG-TERM CENTRAL WEST TRANSPORT PLAN
- Steph Cooke MP
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
The indefinite closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass has exposed the urgent need for a long-term transport connectivity plan between Greater Sydney and the Central West.
Following the discovery of a geotechnical fault, the NSW Minister for Transport announced the highway would be closed for at least three months, forcing traffic and freight onto alternative routes.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the impact is already being felt across her electorate.
“We’re already seeing increased traffic volumes on Lachlan Valley Way, which is a key connector from Cowra through Boorowa to the Hume Highway,” Ms Cooke said.
“That road already has issues with maintenance, and mobile phone reception along large stretches of the route is extremely poor.”
“With more traffic likely to use this road over the coming months, those safety concerns will only grow.”
Ms Cooke said the situation demonstrates why regional transport planning must extend beyond short-term fixes.
While the NSW Government released its Sydney to Central West Corridors White Paper last month, Ms Cooke said the document fails to deliver a clear plan for communities further west.
“The White Paper is essentially a plan to make a plan, and it largely ignores the needs of communities beyond Bathurst,” Ms Cooke said.
“Our region has enormous potential for housing growth, jobs and economic development, but that potential will remain limited if we don’t have the infrastructure needed to connect us.”
“What we need is a clear vision for the future of the Sydney-Central West corridor that recognises the role regional communities play in driving the state’s economy.”
“I’m calling on the Government to develop and deliver a genuine long-term plan that strengthens road and rail connectivity right across the Central West.”
