MOTORISTS travelling between Lithgow and Mt Victoria must be aware that new speed restrictions come into effect from Monday.
There has been a cynical reaction among residents since it was announced last week that the government review of road conditions across the state had recommended the lowering of speed limits on the section of road previously earmarked for an upgrade.
From Monday the maximum speed limit anywhere between South Bowenfels and Victoria Pass will be 80km/h.
Two existing 90 limits are being reduced.
These are the sections of the Great Western Highway between McKanes Falls Road and the top of River Lett Hill and from the Lett River through to the bottom of Victoria Pass.
In Lithgow Council this week there were concerns the lowering of the speed limit on the highway would result in many more motorists using the Hartley Valley Road-Browns Gap Road as a ‘rat run’.
The speed limit on that rural road remains at 100 but there are now overtures to have that also reduced.
The highway section where the speed limits are being lowered has been the subject of a great deal of debate in recent years while the then RTA battled to come up with a route for a deviation.
A preferred option was eventually agreed on, to be financed by shared federal and state funding, but the Coalition — true to a pre election promise — has since shelved the project indefinitely.
