The plan focuses on how to boost public transport and road infrastructure across four southern NSW regions. Photo: Transport NSW.
A vision of the key transport priorities across the Capital region, Southern Tablelands, Far South Coast and alpine region has outlined an ambitious plan for the NSW Government to deliver across 20 years.
The South East and Tablelands Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan comprises 60 key actions and initiatives that aim to address the diverse transport needs from Queanbeyan to Young, Batemans Bay to Jindabyne.
NSW Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison said it provided a strategic blueprint that would influence funding decisions and deliver what hundreds of people had said their regions needed during the consultation phase.
“We’ve got a starting point where everybody’s in agreement, [where we know] these are the priorities,” she said.
“[The plan] takes ABS data, transport data, planning data and says this is actually what we’re seeing, and we’ll be revising that as we go forward, so when governments like the ACT Government, the NSW Government, the Federal Government want to make investments – or even private industry – we can say, “This is what we think the growth is.'”
Transport NSW will provide status updates on the priority actions every 12 months and the plan itself will be reviewed every five years.
Most of the short-term actions (which include initiatives that are already in motion) focus on collaboration, investigation and development of localised project plans, such as identifying where to preserve future corridors for public transport connections between Queanbeyan, Yass and the ACT, and developing a prioritised program of improved driver rest stops across the network, focusing on the Barton Highway near Wattle Flat, the Kings Highway near Currowan, Lachlan Valley Way near Boorowa and the Monaro Highway near Nimmitabel, Bombala and Colinton.
Other short-term initiatives include improving the public transport connectivity, frequency and reliability from regional centres to Sydney, Wollongong and Canberra, and enhancing bus services between small and strategic centres, such as between Crookwell and Goulburn and Yass to Canberra.
It’s hoped the reinstatement of a second daily South Coast coach service, a seven-day coach service between Goulburn and Canberra, and a daily coach connection between Jindabyne, Cooma and Canberra will also be delivered in this time.
“What we have heard from communities is clear. They want more choice, they want safer and more reliable journeys, and they want planning that recognises the unique needs of regional NSW,” Ms Aitchison said.
“This final plan is about delivering exactly that, and ensuring the region thrives well into the future.”
The strategic regional integrated transport plan focuses on the south-east and tablelands areas of the state. Photo: Transport NSW.
Medium-term initiatives (with a five- to 10-year timeframe) include getting a three-days-a-week coach service between Young and Canberra, expanding the winter Snowy Mountains transport to operate year-round and delivery of the Murrumbateman bypass.
The NSW Government also plans to complete investigations into long-term upgrades of the major east-west corridors of Macquarie Pass, Clyde Mountain, Brown Mountain and Nerriga Road.
Funding would then need to be secured for their delivery.
“For too long, regional communities were silent in transport planning. This plan reflects the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to put people in regional NSW first,” Ms Aitchison said.
Property Council ACT & Capital Region Executive Director Ashlee Berry said this announcement marked important progress for a growing region that had significant housing and employment needs.
“The ACT–NSW border region is one of the fastest growing cross jurisdictional labour markets in the country, with strong demand for new homes and employment precincts,” she said.
“These commitments show welcome progress towards a more reliable, better-connected ACT–NSW corridor, vital for housing supply, workforce mobility and the continued growth of Canberra and surrounding centres.”
Ms Berry said better transport infrastructure was fundamental in supporting housing supply, and encouraging the property development industry to invest.
“Improved station accessibility, stronger regional corridors and enhanced bus connections will all help shape the investment confidence needed for the region’s next phase of growth,” she said.
“To maximise the benefits of these upgrades, planning around key stations and cross border corridors must be sequenced with future housing and employment precincts.”
A copy of the final plan and initiatives, consultation summary and engagement report is available on the project webpage.
Original Article published by Claire Fenwicke on About Regional.
