21 December 2020

A new electronic message system is taking the guess work out of whether to take the Great Western Highway or Bells Line of Road to Sydney from Lithgow.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the permanent electronic sign on the Great Western Highway just before the Lithgow visitor’s centre will be kept live with traffic information to help motorists choose their preferred route.

"This is helping people from the Central West make an informed decision about the quickest way to cross the mountains, using either the Great Western Highway, or Bells Line of Road," Mr Toole said.

"In normal traffic conditions, the journey is just over 70 minutes to reach Penrith or Richmond but on any day the journey can be longer depending on traffic impacts. This will help people avoid delays where possible.

"The live information has been switched on this week to coincide with the start of the school holidays and the response from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive.

"Using this kind of real time technology is a first for the Central West and we hope to be able to deliver more of these message boards in other locations."

Record numbers of holiday travellers are expected to holiday in regional NSW this holiday season due to COVID-19 restrictions, with motorists urged to plan ahead to avoid traffic delays.

"It has been a tough year and everyone is looking for a break so we are doing everything we can to reduce travel times and make sure everyone arrives at their destination safely," Mr Toole said.

To find out more about the best times to travel by car and to avoid pinch points visit the Holiday journeys webpage.

Real-time information for travellers and alternate route options at key points will also be available via the Live Traffic NSW website.