Bells Line closed for foreseeable future

A landslide and debris from it originally caused the highway to be closed near Mount Tomah over the weekend however, as reported by the NSW Transport Management Centre, it now appears the highway is shut with no forecast for when it will reopen.

Early on Tuesday morning a TMC spokesperson confirmed an additional landslide on Monday brought down more large trees and caused extreme damage to the road, with rain also impacting it and the mountainside's structural integrity.

"The road has been closed again due to safety concerns and will remain closed until further notice. The landslide has brought down a lot of trees, so there is no forecast as to when the road will reopen," the spokesperson said.

With one of the major roads linking the Central West to the eastern seaboard now closed, motorists are advised to use the Great Western Highway but allow for plenty of extra travel time as that route also remains impacted.

The landslide has brought down several large trees.

Motorists on the Blue Mountains side of Bells Line of Road are advised to use the Great Western Highway as an alternative route - but this doesn't help residents on the Hawkesbury side.

Macquarie MP Susan Templeman is lobbying for a solution for the isolated communities and said the authorities ought to look at alternative measures to get food and supplies into the region, including heavy-lift helicopters from the nearby Richmond RAAF Base.

She said she had been in direct contact with Federal Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud about the urgent need for essential food and medical supplies for communities isolated on the western side of the river.

One of two westbound lanes remains closed on the Great Western Highway near Victoria Pass, also due to a landslide and resulting debris. The TMC suggested that lane will remain closed until rain lets up and allows the area to be properly assessed.

Further down the road on Bells Line the North Richmond Bridge between Pitt Lane and Chapel Street also remained closed due to flooding.

Elsewhere, the Jenolan Caves Road between the Great Western Highway and Edith Road was closed in both directions with drivers to take an alternate along the Great Western Highway to Bathurst and then O'Connell Road to Oberon. That road is expected to be closed for several days.

Further along Jenolan Caves Road, the Five Mile between Duckmaloi Road intersection and the Grand Arch, and the Two Mile Road between the Grand Arch and Kanangra Walls Road remain closed.

The Jenolan Caves precinct was closed to the public on Friday and, in an update on Monday night, was still expected to be closed throughout Tuesday.

The TMC advising anyone needing to travel to stay stay informed via Live Traffic and drive to the conditions.