A FEDERAL government study into the transport needs of Central West NSW has has concluded that turning the Bells Line of Road into an expressway is not warranted.
The report found that an upgrade of the Bells Line of Road to expressway standard, as an alternative route to the Great Western Highway, will not be required until after 2033.
One reason is because that the region's population and employment growth had fallen well below the trends forecasted in 2004.
The concept of an expressway along the route of the Bells Line of Road, while promoted by central west councils, has also been criticised by both environmentalists and transport planners as being environmentally unsustainable as it promoted road transport over rail, too costly for the likely benefit, and destroying world heritage-listed environments.
The report found that number of smaller scale projects, such as the building of overtaking lanes, would greatly improve the reliability and safety of the region's transport network.
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