The Blue Mountains road tunnel is still happening, according to Deputy Premier Paul Toole, despite doubts being cast on the mega project this week.
Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle described the tunnel promise as a "busted flush" after the government's infrastructure advisory body recommended a range of major projects be deferred.
But in comments to the Western Advocate newspaper at Bathurst on June 2, Mr Toole said there would be no change to the project's timing.
"The government is still committed to mega projects and the Great Western Highway is one of those projects that is going to continue with delivery," he said.
He said a duplicated Great Western Highway from Katoomba to Lithgow would better connect Sydney and the Central West and the people of the Central West with the new Western Sydney Airport.
"It's a vital link and it's one that we've done a lot of work on over the past few years and it [the project] is going to be continuing," he said.
"And I think this government's got a record of building big projects and delivering them."
The controversy comes less than a month after the NSW government announced its preferred option for the multi-billion dollar project, a toll-free 11km tunnel between Blackheath and Little Hartley.
But the plan was plunged into doubt when a report by Infrastructure NSW, released on May 31, recommended the state's $27 billion infrastructure spend be diverted to smaller projects that will provide "high returns and faster paybacks with less budget and delivery risks".
This led Trish Doyle to describe the "grand promise" of a toll-free tunnel as "busted flush" on ABC Radio.
READ MORE:
She said while she personally wasn't "surprised" by the development, there was "a bit of bewilderment and disappointment" from some Blue Mountains residents at "what appears on the face of it to be a grand promise that has been quickly broken".
She said the news had also been met with cynicism "because this is a project that has been, in one form or another, promised and re-promised over a number of years by the state government".
Following the release of the Infrastructure NSW report, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet publicly announced $600 million for the second stage of the Parramatta light rail but avoided any specific comment on the tunnel project.
The Blue Mountains Gazette asked a series questions about the project's status to the offices of the Deputy Premier Paul Toole, Regional Roads Minister Sam Farraway and Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes - before receiving a response from Transport for NSW.
The response stated: "Planning work is forging ahead on the Great Western Highway upgrade between Katoomba and Lithgow.
"The NSW and Australian governments have committed $4.5 billion towards the upgrade project, which will support more than 3,900 jobs.
"This funding provides 100 per cent of what is needed to deliver the upgrades to the east (Katoomba to Blackheath) and the west (Little Hartley to Lithgow) surface upgrades which will provide two lanes of traffic in each direction.
"There is also funding to continue the planning and early work for the central section, which has been proposed as an 11-kilometre tunnel from Blackheath to Little Hartley."
The Transport for NSW spokesperson said the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Blackheath to Little Hartley tunnel is expected to go on public exhibition later this year.
"The tender for construction of the tunnel is expected to be awarded before the end of 2024, with construction to follow," the spokesperson stated.
When asked by the Western Advocate if he had been surprised to see the recommendation from Infrastructure NSW that the tunnel project be put on ice, Mr Toole emphasised it was an independent body.
"We know that there have been increases in building costs and some of them [projects] may have to be looked at to be slowed down, though they still will be delivered. But the Great Western Highway won't be fitting into that category," he said.
Mayor angry about changes
An angry Blue Mountains Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill, addressed the council meeting of Tuesday May 31 after media reports put the tunnel plans in question. Blue Mountains City Council has asked the state government for clarification on the plans.
"Council is calling on the NSW Government to give us immediate clarity," the mayor said.
He cited concerns about the "tunnel business case and lack of transparency or consultation with the mid and lower Mountains".
The council was reminded of the mental trauma many Blackheath residents experienced when informed their properties would be resumed by the State Government to make way for the tunnel through the village.
"We had half of Blackheath being threatened with resumption of their homes ... we had a community divided by this ... we've had residents from the Lower Mountains worried about the introduction of 30 metre trucks, we've had debates about where the smokestacks would go, we've got Medlow Bath being smashed by this, worried about the length of the tunnel [and] tonight we have a gun to our heads saying 'Give us the land for the construction work or we will take it permanently'," he said.
"This community has been put through trauma, by this, but it's not the first time ... we remember previous tunnels ... National Party ideas."
The mayor said he was sick of the government's "promise after promise about improved passage across the Mountains".
"You might recall I said 'this will never happen'. Was it just a cynical exercise to prop up National Party seats in the west [before the election]? There won't be a [tunnel] toll that is true, because there won't be a tunnel."
Cr Kevin Schreiber said the community had been on a "hurdy gurdy trip" and "Mr Toole needs to take some of the blame". But Cr Roza Sage said "it was all predicated on a media report that can be not quite true".
Councillors voted unanimously to write to the government and Deputy Premier Toole for a response.
