Cyclists lives continue to be put at risk on the Great Western Highway at Faulconbridge following a botched reseal in August.
A second patch-up resealing was done in September after the Blue Mountains Cycling Safety Forum and Labor politicians complained, as the first resealing was not taken to the edge of the highway, creating a slip point and leaving cyclists with just 15cm of road shoulder to ride on.
But the latest resealing neglected to fix the worst of the slip points by a guard rail, forcing westbound cyclists to ride in the traffic lane for 80 metres on a blind corner.
The Blue Mountains Cycling Safety Forum is calling for a short tarred path to be constructed behind the guard rail, so cyclists can safely navigate the area.
"They [Transport for NSW] need to demonstrate that they are fair dinkum about protecting vulnerable road users," said the forum's acting president David Tritton.
If the department won't commit to funding for the road shoulders on the highway to be widened between Weemala Avenue and Bellevue Road, which the cycling group has been agitating for for more than two years, then they were hopeful the department would construct a path behind the railing.
Members of the cycling forum met with two planners and a communications officer from Transport for NSW on Friday to inspect the area.
Mr Tritton described the meeting as "pretty positive" and was expecting to hear back from the department within a fortnight on how they were going to address the problem.
"All parties recognised that, if the permanent shoulder widening and safety upgrade of the GWH between Weemala Ave and Bellevue Road may be some years away, there is a need for an interim solution which will make it safer for cyclists and other vulnerable road users," he said.
"During the inspection two key risks were identified including poor line of sight for westbound motorists who presently cannot see vulnerable road users up ahead on the corner, and no safe refuge for vulnerable road users on a dangerous pinch point.
"The meeting discussed a number of options which aim to address these risks including constructing a pathway behind the Armco rail or moving the Armco rail to create space for a road shoulder."
But when contacted by the Gazette, a Transport for NSW spokesman indicated they were only committing to trimming vegetation in the area.
"Transport for NSW is continuing to investigate opportunities to improve safety at this location, and will organise for trimming of vegetation to improve sight lines for cyclists and motorists on the corner," he said.
The spokesman said the resealing was not extended to the edge of the guard rail "as the equipment cannot get closer to the guard rail, due to the alignment of this section of the Great Western Highway at Faulconbridge."
