“It means a road with a 100km/h speed limit from Lithgow to Penrith,” Bathurst  MP Paul Toole said at the announcement, which was made on Monday. 

The plans include a duplication of the Great Western Highway from Katoomba to link in with the new section of road at Forty Bends, which has been recently upgraded. It also includes immediate upgrades to the Bells Line of road corridor.

“Ultimately, what people have been wanting is a faster, safer road over the mountains, and this plan will deliver that,” Mr Toole said.

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Lithgow City Council mayor Cr Stephen Lesslie said he was eager for more details. 

“The upgrade of the Great Western Highway is very important to the future development of Lithgow City Council,” he said. 

“What I would like to know is where is this bypass going to go?

“What side of the highway is it going, how many people are likely to be displaced and whether farmland in Hartley is going to be taken.”

Cr Lesslie said it was important that the highway was not being prioritised ahead of the train service to Lithgow. 

He said he did not have an assurance “in writing” that the train service between Mt Victoria and Lithgow would not be downgraded due to the specifications of Transport NSW’s new fleet of passenger trains.

“I am anxious to be assured that the highway is not being built at the expense of the railway line,” he said. 

“I’d like an assurance that the railway line between Mt Victoria and Lithgow will remain as a fully functional service. Without that railway line Lithgow will go backwards forever.”

The Great Western Highway between Kelso and Raglan will also be duplicated for 3.5km, providing an upgrade of the route to Bathurst airport.

Work will begin on a number of projects along the Bells Line of Road corridor, including upgrades to Chifley Road at Scenic Hill and Clarence.

The NSW Government has invested $48 million on the Bells Line of Road corridor improvement program, including overtaking lanes, stabilising slopes and widening existing lanes.

The announcement was made by Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey, Minister for Transport Andrew Constance, Parliamentary Secretary for Western New South Wales Rick Colless and Member for Bathurst Paul Toole.