A range of business people from across the Mountains had a chance to raise local issues with the state treasurer, Andrew Constance, at a breakfast at the Carrington last Thursday.
Organised by Blue Mountains MP, Roza Sage, the audience included members of the Blaxland, Springwood, Hazelbrook, Wentworth Falls, Katoomba and the Mountains Regional chambers of commerce, tourism and accommodation owners and operators, local councillors and children from eight Mountains schools.
Mrs Sage said the idea behind the breakfast was to give locals an opportunity to hear the government's plans for the state's regional areas. A question and answer session after Mr Constance's speech also allowed guests to alert the treasurer to matters of local concern.
Among the issues raised were the volume of heavy trucks travelling on the highway, debt levels of Blue Mountains City Council, a second Sydney airport, youth unemployment and workers compensation costs to business.
Mr Constance said he was "very conscious of the state of our regional highways" and the government was rolling out a state-wide freight strategy.
"You do have to examine ways to free up freight capacity," he said, while conceding that reducing the number of trucks on the road would not happen "overnight".
He also said that government efforts to ease conditions in Sydney, particularly in public transport and roads, would also have an impact on the Mountains.
"The city circle trains affect how many trains can come up the Mountains," he said. If pressures are eased on the Sydney system, there should be more services available on regional lines.
The treasurer was asked about the Yeaman Bridge into Katoomba which is just one lane each way and often leads to long traffic jams. He promised to raise the matter with roads minister, Duncan Gay.
Mrs Sage said the bridge and roundabout had to be a joint effort between council, Roads and Maritime Services and the transport department which also owns some of the nearby land.
Mr Constance several times referred to the government's "difficult decision" to sell the electricity poles and wires but said "it frees up the capital we need".
Some of the money raised would go to strengthening regional economies, to boosting the arts and culture and to improving regional tourism infrastructure, he said.