It’s time for the State Labor Government to face the facts and address the real problems concerning the transport of freight in and out of Western NSW, according to Shadow Minister for Roads Duncan Gay.

“It’s one thing to say we need to get more freight off the roads, which we do, but the fact of the matter is rail transport is not always available,” he said.

“My talks with many people in the industry confirm that unfortunately more and more freight is coming off rail and hitting our roads.

“This is all the more reason to upgrade our highways to provide safe and high-class corridors.

“Rail is not the answer in every situation and that’s why it’s important we have a coordinated approach to continue the upgrade of the Great Western Highway.

“Both the State and Federal Labor Governments are falling behind in the upgrade of this major link and it’s about time they pull their finger out and stop misleading the people of western NSW.

“At the same time we need to put in place a new Bells Line Expressway to provide safe access to Sydney.

“It’s indicative of the lack of performance of the Iemma Government when it pushed the RTA to reduce the speed limit on the Bells Line of Road to 80 km late last year.

“The State Labor Government has obviously acknowledged that the road is a problem and what I’m asking is that it now follows through with some action.

Mr Gay said the Bells Line of Road should be at the top of the priority list.

“Based on other failed promises the forecast doesn’t look good,” he said.

“It’s an absolute outrage that in the last State budget, funding for major roads west of the Great Dividing Range was basically non-existent.

“The lack of appropriate rail access to ports in Sydney is also problematic, with goods that should be going by rail being forced onto roads.

“I’m calling on an urgent coordinated approach to address this issue.”