MEDIA RELEASE
Approved by: Cr Kevin Beatty, Chair of Central NSW Joint Organisation, Mayor of Cabonne Council
The communities of Central NSW have a clear and practical message for the State: the region is a major contributor to the food supply, energy generation and critical minerals production, with significant contributions to the NSW economy— and it needs and deserves a safe, efficient road connection to Sydney to keep delivering.
The Central NSW Joint Organisation (CNSWJO) is calling for action, not more investigation, on the overdue Sydney to Central West corridor, following the release of the Sydney to Central West Corridors White Paper.
The corridor is critical to the movement of freight across Central NSW, supporting food and agricultural supply chains, large-scale renewable energy developments, and mineral production (including gold, copper and critical minerals). The corridor is vital for the movement of freight into, through and out of the region and connection to Greater Sydney, national supply chains and export markets.
Transport for NSW’s own analysis highlights that demand on the corridor will continue to intensify, with freight, commuter and visitor movements all increasing as Western Sydney grows and new economic activity emerges. The corridors already carry a mix of local, commuter and freight traffic and will face further pressure from population growth, employment expansion and new freight flows.
While the White Paper recognises many of the corridor’s long-standing challenges, the priority now must be action and implementation.
Cr Kevin Beaty, Mayor of Cabonne and Chair of Central NSW Joint Organisation said “Central NSW has been dealing with these constraints for decades. The evidence is clear. What’s missing is a delivery pathway that turns that evidence into action.”
“Ongoing congestion, safety risks and unreliable travel times, particularly on the Great Western Highway, are holding back freight efficiency, tourism and everyday access for our communities.
“Visitors who come to our region for major events like the Bathurst 1000 should end their trip on a high—not stuck in hours of traffic as they try to make their way back to Sydney. This level of congestion diminishes the overall experience and undermines the benefits these events bring to our region,” said Cr Beaty.
“This corridor carries local traffic, visitors and state significant freight, yet it still operates as a constrained, mixed-use route. That creates safety risks, delays and real costs for producers, businesses and the communities that rely on it.
“There are currently 38 speed changes, 35 sets of traffic lights and 6 school zones on the Great Western Highway between Lithgow and Penrith. This level of stop-start movement makes the corridor inefficient for everyone who depends on it, underscoring the urgent need for a safer, more reliable and better-planned transport route for the region,” said Cr Beaty.
Central NSW and surrounding regions contribute approximately $26.4 billion annually to the NSW economy, driven by food and agriculture, mining and minerals, forestry, renewable energy, manufacturing and logistics. Transport constraints are now limiting the region’s ability to support future growth.
The White Paper reinforces that the Great Western Highway and Bells Line of Road remain the only continuous east–west connections between Greater Sydney and Western NSW, with competing freight, commuter and local traffic placing increasing pressure on capacity, reliability and safety.
“Producers and freight operators need certainty to plan and invest. When a critical freight corridor is unreliable, decisions are delayed and confidence is lost, not just in the region, but across the supply chains that depend on it,” said Cr Beaty.
“Work to address these issues is already well advanced in parts of the corridor. The Great Western Highway upgrade between Katoomba and Blackheath has completed concept design, consultation and environmental assessment, and sections like Medlow Bath are already delivered. It’s ready to move forward and should be treated as a priority, not sent back for more investigation,” said Cr Beaty.
While significant investment will ultimately be required, the immediate focus should be on pushing the delivery foundations in place now.
“Our message is clear and practical: Central and Western NSW are the backbone of our state’s food, energy and critical minerals supply. A safe, efficient road connection to Sydney isn’t a luxury — it’s essential to sustaining the economic strength of NSW. We want to see delivery, not another excuse to procrastinate,” said Cr Beaty.
ENDS
