The chair of Centroc’s strategic transport group says he was “not impressed” with Luke Foley’s attitude towards transport links between the Central West and Sydney.
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The NSW Opposition Leader told Fairfax Media this week that “neither side of politics is going to build the Bells Line Expressway”.
Instead Mr Foley said the Nationals were provided false hope by refusing to rule it out.
Centroc’s Ken Keith said without improved links like an expressway, the Central West would be left behind.
“I’m not impressed with that comment, if I could put it politely. It’s alright to say every other region in the north and south can have an expressway into Sydney but the Central West is the only one that misses out,” Councillor Keith, who is also Parkes’ mayor, said.
“The Great Western Highway has to serve three purposes as a major highway, for local residents and for tourist traffic to the Blue Mountains and it doesn’t do it well.”
Mr Keith said if Labor won the 2019 election, the councils of the Central West would work with that government to try and find a solution.
“We’ve always worked with both sides of politics. I have friends on both sides and if Labor won the election we would put our case forward to them. We believe we have a strong case,” he said.
Mr Keith said he was encouraged by the conversations between his organisation and NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey. He was hopeful there would be progress before the election and expected to see the project “taking steps forward”.
“Centroc has had discussions with Minister Pavey and we are still working with the government to look for solutions,” he said.
Earlier this week the government released its Future Transport Strategy, a 40-year blueprint for regional NSW.
There were 227 projects across the state’s regions but like the draft, there was no concrete mention of improved links between Sydney and the Central West.
The plan includes improvements to existing roads and the preservation of the Castlereagh Corridor between Kurrajong and the M7, and mentions a “Great Dividing Range long term solution corridor preservation”.
Mr Keith said the Castlereagh Corridor preservation was crucial, and said Centroc would work for better links with Sydney.
“I think the government is aware after all the discussion in the Central West that it can’t ignore the crossing of the Blue Mountains.”
