NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam and NSW Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Road Infrastructure Andrew Stoner today announced a $1.2 billion road infrastructure package to rebuild NSW. 

“After 12 years of Labor, NSW infrastructure is crumbling and people are paying for it with their lives,” Mr Debnam said.

“The NSW Liberal/Nationals will fix the state’s roads to made them better and safer,” he said.

“The people of NSW constantly ask the question ‘where did all the money go?’ It certainly didn’t go into our roads with over 500 people killed in car accidents every year.

“Safer roads and more policing will get the death toll down.

“The NSW Liberal/Nationals $1.2 billion investment in roads includes:

• $450 million for major highways including $180 million for the Pacific Highway, $200 million for the Princes Highway, $20 million for the Great Western Highway and $50 million to commence construction of the Bells Line Expressway;

• $266.5 million for Sydney roads including Camden Valley Way, Mona Vale Road, Alfords Point Bridge, Richmond Road, Wakehurst Parkway, Heathcote Road and Appin Road;

• $209 million for country roads including upgrades to the Grafton Bridge, Cobb Highway, Silver City Highway, The Lakes Way, Nelson Bay Road, Byron Bay Bypass, Wellington/Parkes Road and Alstonville Bypass;

• $107 million for Central Coast roads including upgrades to The Entrance Road, Avoca Drive, Terrigal Drive and the MacMaster’s Road and Blackwall Road intersection;

• $176 million to install air filtration systems in the M5 East and Lane Cove Tunnels; and,

• $60 million to repair road safety black spots with priority projects including sealing the Coonamble to Narrabri (via Pilliga) Road, installing traffic lights at the intersection of Sherringham and Northern Roads, upgrading the intersection of the Delegate Road and the Monaro Highway at Bombala and sealing the Boorowa to Crookwell Road.

Mr Stoner said this road funding commitment represents the biggest investment in road infrastructure in NSW history.

“In our first term, this will mean an increase in the roads budget of more than 35% on Labor’s current annual investment on roads,” Mr Stoner said.

“This is a big win for city and country NSW and will help make our roads safer, ease traffic congestion, cut travel times, and reduce wear and tear on motor vehicles, thereby reducing dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

“Labor has talked a lot about roads, but the people of NSW have been forced to endure delays, cost blowouts and complete failure like the Cross City Tunnel.

“On the Lane Cove Tunnel, taxpayers have been forced to payout $25 million simply to delay the road changes until after the election – and as it turned out the money was completely wasted because the tunnel will open the day after the election.”

Mr Debnam said if you want to fix NSW roads, then don’t vote Labor.