The region’s peak business organisation, Business Illawarra, has today used a submission to government to call for expedited planning and approvals for the Picton Road Motorway Project, and urged Illawarra businesses and other key stakeholders to have their say on the latest plans before submissions close next week.
Transport for NSW is inviting members of the public to have their say on the Review of Environmental Factors until 29 February. Business Illawarra is encouraging its members and all businesses that rely on timely road freight to lodge their feedback to help ensure this project meets the needs of the community.
Following the successful advocacy of the Picton Road Motorway Coalition led by Business Illawarra, state and federal governments provided $120 million in planning funding for the duplication of the Illawarra’s only major transport link to greater Western Sydney to make it safer, more efficient and for new interchanges at the Princes and Hume Motorways.
Business Illawarra Executive Director Adam Zarth said that whilst it is good to see this project moving forward, it needs to move at a much faster rate given that in 2018, prior to all the additional housing built in the vicinity, Picton Road was already forecast to reach capacity in the mid-2020s.
“We have worked hard to build the evidence base and successfully advocate with our members, local MPs and stakeholders for the Picton Road Motorway Project - and we look forward to work commencing on this overdue project,” said Mr Zarth.
“Key road projects like this are vital to the economic growth and performance of the Illawarra Shoalhaven, not only in the freight and logistics sector but across all key supply chains. This project will improve road safety, connectivity to Port Kembla and have significant flow on benefits for local businesses and skills for our region’s workforce.”
“Our Road Connectivity report revealed that in 2018 nearly 21,000 vehicles used Picton Road each weekday. The percentage of heavy vehicles using this road is 25 per cent and is growing at a faster rate than passenger vehicles.”
“Improved transport connectivity provides access to jobs and services, access to markets, suppliers and workers and reduces the cost of doing business through travel time savings and reduced vehicle operating costs.”
“We thank our local MPs for their strong advocacy and support for infrastructure upgrades in the Illawarra and are looking forward to seeing progress on the Picton Road Motorway project with the already committed $120 million in planning funding from the NSW Government.”