Labor commits $15 million to highway upgrade at Faulconbridge

The Blue Mountains Cycling Safety Forum has been campaigning for almost two years for the highway shoulders between Bellevue Road and Weemala Avenue to be widened, saying that cyclists risk their lives on this notorious stretch of road to which there is no alternative.

Forum spokesman David Tritton said Labor's commitment would "Benefit the Blue Mountains, but also communities in greater western Sydney and the central west who use the Great Western Highway, because it makes the journey safer for everyone, especially vulnerable road users".

On Monday, Labor's infrastructure and transport spokesman Anthony Albanese said that if elected on May 18, a Labor government would lock in funding for the upgrade in its first budget.

Federal Labor MP for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, said the funding would improve safety for cyclists and motorists.

"The funding will provide wider shoulders, better drainage and centre barrier to improve safety for motorists and cyclists," she said.

"An application for Black Spot road funding for this notorious stretch of road was rejected by the federal government back in 2017, with the minister at the time advised me that the cost exceeded the Black Spot funding limit of $2 million - and that was that.

"Given the danger faced by cyclists and motorists on this part of the highway, simply ignoring the problem is not good enough."

Mr Tritton said "the realignment of the highway, the construction of 2.5 metre shoulders on both sides of the carriageway and treatments for vehicles turning right into the Metro Petroleum from the centre lane will save lives".

"Motorists will be able to pass cyclists safely and broken down motorists and emergency service workers will have a safe refuge if adequate road shoulders are constructed as part of Labor's funding proposal," he said.

The funding commitment follows a cyclist being hit by a car on the highway at Faulconbridge on April 30.

Police said the cyclist, a 63-year-old Sydney woman, and her husband, where heading west on the highway when the woman turned right across the highway at Bellevue Road, and was hit by an oncoming car that was travelling east.

Blue Mountains Police Sergeant Mick Magill said the woman was hit by the car travelling at 80km/hr, and sustained pelvic and facial injuries. She was treated by paramedics and then airlifted to Westmead Hospital by CareFlight in a stable condition.

"It's extremely lucky that there wasn't a fatality on this occasion," Mr Tritton said.

He said cyclists heading west risked their lives crossing the highway at Bellevue Rd to access the service road between Bellevue Rd and Faulconbridge Farm, which had been the RMS recommendation since 2017 to avoid the problematic section of highway. Cyclists then cross back over the highway again to continue west once they were past the fruit shop.

Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill and Blue Mountains state MP Trish Doyle welcomed the federal Labor commitment.

"This announcement comes on the heels of many years of advocacy and community action alongside Blue Mountains Labor representatives at a council, state and federal level," Ms Doyle said. "We have recognised all along that this stretch of road is treacherous and needs urgent intervention."

Cr Greenhill said: "Council has previously highlighted concerns to the state government about this stretch of highway to no avail.

"This is a significant investment in safety and I thank Susan Templeman and Bill Shorten for stepping in and giving the community a safer outcome as a result of this funding."

Liberal candidate for Macquarie Sarah Richards has been approached for comment.

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