The Minns Labor Government has today released the Sydney to Central West Corridors White Paper, setting a realistic, evidence-based direction for transport and roads planning through the Blue Mountains and the Central West.
The White Paper provides a practical assessment of transport opportunities for the region after more than a decade of hollow promises by the former Liberal-National Government.
This includes years of promising communities in the Blue Mountains a tunnel was coming – even though it was never properly funded, never achievable and never going to be delivered – before the Liberal-National Government finally shelved the project in 2022.
With the release of this White Paper, the Minns Government is setting a clear plan for the future that puts the needs of communities in the Blue Mountains and Central West region first.
It prioritises safety, resilience and reliability – including road upgrades, safer speed settings, resilience uplift, improvements to rail services, freight efficiency and investment in active transport.
The White Paper establishes a practical framework for improving nationally significant routes as well as local streets, village centres and rail lines. It reinforces that the Blue Mountains and the Central West are not a single, uniform corridor, and that local communities should be planned for, not treated as thoroughfares.
The White Paper will serve as the foundation for future infrastructure proposals, supporting business cases for funding across all levels of government, and providing a platform for collaboration between Transport for NSW, local councils, and State and Federal agencies.
The initiatives outlined represent a clear pipeline of potential actions to address known challenges and opportunities. Any future investment will be subject to prioritisation and approval processes.
The release of the White Paper builds on work already underway on important corridors, including the $100 million investment in the Bells Line of Road, delivering safety upgrades such as wider curves, improved intersections, new safety barriers and additional rest areas.
The Sydney to Central West Corridors White Paper can be found here.
Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison said:
“This White Paper sets a clear direction for how we plan and deliver transport across the Blue Mountains and the Central West – honestly, transparently and based on evidence, not politics.
“For years, the Liberals and Nationals told communities in the Blue Mountains that a tunnel was just around the corner. It wasn’t. They knew it wasn’t. And they mothballed it themselves when the truth caught up with them.
“They announced a megaproject they never properly funded, never finished planning and never intended to deliver. Then they walked away, leaving the Blue Mountains and Central West to deal with the consequences.
“You cannot claim to fix the Great Western Highway if your ‘solution’ ends before the worst section, and that’s exactly what the former Government tried to sell – it was a fantasy.
“We are not repeating that failure.
“This White Paper is about honesty and vision – telling people what can be done. That means safer roads, better resilience during fires and floods, and practical improvements that stand up to scrutiny.
“The Minns Labor Government is focused on doing things properly. This is responsible government in action. Sequencing matters if we want results, not cancellations.”
Minister for Regional NSW and Minister for Western NSW, Tara Moriarty said:
“This White Paper puts evidence ahead of politics and puts people first.
“For communities in the Central West and Blue Mountains, reliable connections are not a nice-to-have – they are essential to daily life, safety, and economic opportunity, and the Minns Government has a blueprint to deliver.”
Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle said:
“Blue Mountains communities have endured years of political theatre instead of real information.
“The White Paper acknowledges our real pressures – congestion through villages like Medlow Bath and Blackheath, local road constraints including Hawkesbury Road, the frequency of our train services, crash risks, closures and natural hazards – and it outlines future options that respect both our World Heritage environment and our communities.
“These are just some of the issues I will continue to work with the Minister and Transport for NSW on – ensuring local priorities, traffic concerns and transport challenges are heard and considered as decisions are made.
“As people in the Blue Mountains villages know all too well, it was the then-Liberal Premier that shelved the fantasy tunnel. He knew in 2022 that it wasn’t achievable and so did Infrastructure NSW.
“This is a vision built on evidence, not slogans, and that’s what people in the Mountains deserve.”