Billions of dollars will be injected into the NSW economy and productivity boosted under a re-elected Liberal plan to raise the speed limit on WestConnex to 90km.
Commuters from Western Sydney will also be able to get to where they need to faster under the plan, which will boost productivity by supporting jobs and keeping freight moving, placing downward pressure on supply chain costs.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said under this plan the Liberal and Nationals would cut travel times for people in Sydney’s west and inject billions of dollars into the economy.
“WestConnex has been a game-changer when it comes to moving around our city, connecting Sydney’s western suburbs like never before,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Western Sydney is the engine room of the state’s economy and WestConnex is already providing a major boost to the region by supporting jobs and keeping people and freight moving.
“Increasing the speed limit in WestConnex would mean drivers spend less time on the road and more time doing the things most important to them.
“The productivity savings from this are huge. By slashing travel times on WestConnex alone, we could inject more than $80 million back into the NSW economy every year through productivity gains.
“This will make a real difference to the everyday lives of people across our city, but particularly in the west, and is only possible under the Liberal and Nationals which have the long-term economic plan to keep NSW moving forward.”
The change to the speed limit on WestConnex will occur subject to a final safety review by Transport for NSW.
If re-elected, the Liberal and Nationals Government will also direct Transport for NSW to commence a broader review into speed limits on Sydney motorways where it is currently limited to 80 km/hour, with an intention to increase these to 90 km/hour where it is deemed safe to do so.
Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said the broader review would be carried out by Transport for NSW, and would look at all motorways including NorthConnex, M5 South-West and the M4.
“The first step is a review because safety is our number one priority and that will always be factored into the effort to reduce travel times around the Sydney road network,” Mrs Ward said.
“We will also look at changing speed limits on motorways so tradies, tourists, families and everyone trying to get from A to B has a more consistent journey.
“Keeping people moving on our motorways is critical, with congestion costing the economy billions of dollars through lost productivity every year.”
Recommendations from the review will be delivered to Government by the end of 2023.
