The release of the Hartley highway upgrade route options between Mt Victoria and Lithgow by the Australian and NSW governments is another short sighted announcement that will not solve the transport needs of the Central West but will forever damage the communities of the Blue Mountains.
That’s the view of the Blackheath Highway Action Group [BAG] and the Mt Victoria Highway Bypass Action Group.
The groups condemned the announcement of the proposed routes calling the upgrade an expensive band-aid solution that won’t solve the transport needs of the Central West.
“It’s time the Australian and NSW governments act on the Central West Transport Needs Study and implement a long term rail road integrated transport plan between Sydney and the Central West instead of wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars on a road that will be need to be replaced within 10 years of its completion,” Blackheath Highway Action Group spokesperson, Michael Paag, said.
“The announcement of the route options shows the Australian and NSW governments intend to turn the Great Western Highway, with its nearly 40 different speed zones, 10 school zones, 21 sets of traffic lights and 17 or so villages, into a road freight corridor for massive trucks,” Mt Victoria Highway Bypass Action Group spokesperson, Max Blanco, said.
Mr Paag said the primary purpose of each route option is to make it easier for trucks to cross the Blue Mountains by reducing the grade and removing the tight curves of Victoria Pass to enable more 19 metre B-doubles and or the introduction of 26 metre 9 axle B-doubles to use the Great Western Highway.
“The RTA is widening the highway to four lanes to Katoomba and intends to upgrade the highway to four lanes between Mt Victoria and Lithgow so what’s going to happen to the existing two lane tree lined highway through Blackheath, a picturesque tourist village between Katoomba and Mt Victoria,” Mr Paag said.
“The RTA says the highway will not be widened through Blackheath yet the NSW government has not ruled out minor shoulder realignment that could result in three to four lanes of traffic through the village within the existing highway corridor,” he said.
Mr Paag and Mr Blanco met with Member for Blue Mountains Phil Koperberg and the Minster for Transport David Campbell at NSW Parliament House last week to discuss the proposed route options.
“We thank Mr Koperberg for organising the meeting,” Mr Blanco said.
“We made it clear to the Minister that it’s time the Australian and NSW governments took a long term approach to the transport needs of the Central West and abandon the RTA’s proposed upgrade of the highway between Mt Victoria and Lithgow.
“Our position is strongly supported by Mr Koperberg and we thank him for taking a long term approach,” Mr Blanco said.
“We all agree that road safety on Victoria Pass must be improved.
“However we don’t need a monstrous four lane bypass of Mt Victoria which incorporates massive viaducts, long tunnels and huge earthworks to achieve better road safety along the Pass,” Mr Paag said.
“Despite the claims about better safety all the route options retain the notorious black ice prone Forty Bends section of the existing highway.
“Mr Koperberg has been very supportive; he understands the concerns of residents and business owners of Blackheath, Mt Victoria and the Blue Mountains,” Mr Paag said.
“The Minister has told us in our meeting with him the NSW government is not committed to any route option.
“The Minister said it’s up to the community to make its views known through the RTA consultation process and we therefore encourage residents, business owners and community groups to make submissions,” Mr Blanco said.
Mr Blanco and Mr Paag welcomed the outcome of their meeting with the Minster.
The deadline for submissions to the RTA is Friday November 20.
“If the communities of the Blue Mountains and Central West want a long term approach to the transport needs of the Central West including more freight on rail and a safer Bells Line of Road then they need to tell the NSW government before November 20,” Mr Paag said.
“It’s vitally important that residents and business owners make submissions to the RTA before Friday November 20.
“We need to make it clear we don’t want a monstrous four lane bypass of Mt Victoria which will facilitate massive trucks and put the future of Blackheath, Hartley Valley, Mt Victoria and the way of life of Blue Mountains residents under threat while still not solving the transport needs of the Central West,” Mr Paag said.
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