The Centroc Board is pleased to be included as a member of the steering committee of the Bells Line of Expressway Long Term Corridor Plan. Consultation on the Plan has been completed as of the end of January 2011.

Members have consistently called for an Expressway standard connection between Sydney and the west.

The Bells Line of Road and Great Western Highway are two of the most dangerous roads in Australia. Members want safe, fast access between Central NSW and Sydney.

Members have also been concerned with the studies undertaken to date, in that the studies do not recognise the growth that would happen as a result of the Bells Line of Expressway; the studies instead make decisions based on the constrained transport options currently available.

Members also contend that the topography of the Blue Mountains is special ensuring that the Great Western Highway will always need to be a local road. Therefore there will always be congestion issues that impact our industry particularly our tourism industry, the third largest industry in Central NSW -and growing.

Members seek to have the corridor preserved in the first instance particularly the section between the M7 and Kurrajong.

At the meeting of the Board in February 2011 members are seeking advice back from candidates in the region on their policy particuarly on securing the corridor.

The Board is encouraging State and Federal representatives to

a.    commit to the next steps in securing the corridor, that is

        i.    the establishment of route options

        ii.    selection of preferred route

        iii.    reservation of preserved route option on LEPs and

        iv.    environmental assessment and concept design

b.    provide advice on time frames where the establishment of route options should occur immediately after the completion of the Long Term Strategic Corridor Plan

c.    have commentary in LEPs along the route addressing the need for a future corridor

The Federal Government has $3.5m committed to transport studies for the region and it is anticipated that some of these monies will go the next stages of strategic work to deliver the road.

The Bells Line of Expressway Group are requesting the region get behind an email campaign to help make the expressway a reality sooner rather than later. It is easy and fun to do. Click here.