Frustrated locals and businesses say they feel forgotten and are losing hope as the closure of a major NSW highway stretches from weeks into months.
The Great Western Highway, the main road linking Sydney with the state's Central West, was shut in early March when major structural issues were found beneath the road at Victoria Pass, on the western descent of the Blue Mountains.
The state government's latest estimation has the highway remaining closed for at least three months, with no firm reopening date available beyond that period.
Traffic has been rerouted down smaller local streets and roads not designed to deal with that many vehicles, causing a complete bypass of some towns, blowing out travel times and causing a flow-on effect for businesses as far west as Orange.
Hartley businesses hit hard
In Hartley, less than 10 minutes from Victoria Pass on the western side of the mountains, Lolly Bug shop owner Sharon Tofler said business had already been struggling for quite a few weeks with no end in sight.
It is still so very frustrating that there is no timeline for us. I think as a business owner, that is the hardest thing, Tofler said.
Hartley is one of the towns cut off by the highway closure, with alternate routes bypassing the town from Mount Victoria to Lithgow. Residents in Hartley who want to head east now have to drive 30 minutes west before rejoining the alternate route heading east again.
From a business point of view, we have been down about 50 per cent up until now but of course the school holidays are over so this last week we have been down 80 per cent, it certainly had a huge impact, Tofler said.
We have made the decision that we have got no choice but to cut back our trading days. I need to give staff a bit of notice but we will have to cut back from seven to four days. We will probably operate Friday through to Monday but if it goes on for months and months we might have to cut back even further.
Tofler said the emotional impact of the closure has been especially difficult, coming just three years after the shop reopened following a devastating fire.
The highway closure has also taken a toll on family life, with Tofler's daughter, also a Lolly Bug colleague, now considering taking her children out of school after their 15-minute commute became 50 minutes each way.
From a personal point of view, it is very stressful. The road we use now is so much more dangerous, Tofler said. It really worries me, her having the children on the road in the morning and particularly as we are heading into winter when it is going to get so much worse.
Business owners fear closure
Erin's Quality Outdoor Power Centre owner Shannon Cus said he is in a similar situation with his business, which is also in Hartley.
To be honest, everybody knew that Victoria Pass has not been in great shape for a long time, it was only a matter of time before something happened, but I guess no one really expected a complete road closure, he said. So, there is a bit of negligence there, which is disheartening for the residents and the greater Central West because it is something that has been avoided time and time again.
Cus said if the closure lasts, he cannot see any businesses in Hartley, his own included, staying open.
It is s*** to tell you the truth, it is stressful, he said. Having to start again and I am 40 years of age, I have got six children and not being able to provide for my family now properly is really stressful to be honest, it is depressing.
Cus said there has been no assistance offered to help support struggling businesses, and no communication on what is happening or how long the closure will last.
It is just basically destroying the town, he said. Stop treating us like second-class citizens. Lithgow and surroundings basically built Sydney once upon a time, you know, the Portland Cement Works, and the coal mines provide the power. Those towns built Sydney. It seems to me we have just been sort of ripped off.
Despite the stress, Cus hopes support from the local community will help see the town and its businesses through.
We are all still open for business, he said. You know, any help is greatly appreciated. There are a lot of good businesses down here, including ourselves. Stop in and say g'day and support our towns.
Government seeks solutions
Transport for NSW deputy secretary Matt Fuller said engineering experts from Australia and overseas had been employed to seek solutions to restore road connectivity on the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass.
Delivery timelines and how soon we can make this happen for the community are a key consideration, Fuller said. We will be asking the experts to submit ideas.
Initial options for valid or tangible solutions and confirmation of their capability to deliver were due on May 1 with a shortlisting process to start immediately, he said. We plan to have contracts signed as soon as possible. We want to be pushing ahead with a solution in weeks, not months.
Fuller said drilling, coring, investigative piling, seismic testing, as well as the installation of extensive monitoring equipment within the road, retaining walls and underlying ground have all been carried out. However, an exact timeline on how long it will take to fix remains elusive.
Economic shock across region
Business NSW regional director Vicki Seccombe said the closure had triggered an immediate and severe economic shock for the region, with businesses across the Central West and Blue Mountains being pushed to breaking point.
This is not just a transport inconvenience, Seccombe said. Businesses are facing rapidly rising costs, falling revenue, labour disruption, supply chain delays and a sharp drop in customers and visitation. For many small and medium businesses, these pressures simply cannot be absorbed. Without targeted support, many businesses will not make it. The risk of closures, job losses and long-term economic damage across Western NSW and the Blue Mountains is very real.
Business NSW's Great Western Highway Business Impact Survey revealed widespread economic disruption, and noted impacts across freight, productivity, tourism and customers. The survey showed almost every business surveyed, 98 per cent, reported being impacted or expecting to be impacted, with some businesses warning they may close within three to six months without assistance.
We understand the NSW Government is working as quickly as possible to find a solution, however, this does not change the significant impact and negative effects being experienced by businesses across the region, Seccombe said.
Mayor calls for timeline
Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill is also calling for a clear timeline to be issued, saying the closure of the highway was having a significant impact on local communities, businesses and visitors, but wants to assure people the mountains are still open for business.
This is a critical east-west connection for our region and its closure is being felt right across the Blue Mountains and beyond. While safety must always come first, our community needs clear timelines, strong communication and practical support to get through this disruption, he said. The Blue Mountains is open for business, and we will continue to advocate strongly to ensure our community receives the attention and support it deserves during this challenging time.
Impacts felt as far as Orange
Lucknow Tavern owner Tony Jones said impacts from the highway closure are being felt as far west as Orange, about one hour and 45 minutes west of Victoria Pass. He is now planning to sell his business, which sits on the Mitchell Highway between Bathurst and Orange, about 10 minutes from the latter regional centre.
It definitely has affected everything, he said. We noticed the declining number of people eating here and the traffic passing through where we have got our business is nowhere near where it was. Times are just getting hard. Normally we get a lot of people from Sydney and Newcastle and beyond, and now you just see the numbers dwindling.
Jones said keeping his staff paid has become increasingly difficult and he is preparing to put the pub on the market.
It is still hard to keep the wages going the same, he said. We have got people who do the same hours every week but you just cannot keep them there anymore. You have got to shorten their hours and those things, because we are not getting the numbers in. Sometimes you feel like you are getting nowhere but hopefully it will pick up again.
Alternative routes around the closed highway, including Bells Line of Road and Darling Causeway, are considered more dangerous by locals. There have been several crashes which have also closed those route options. Some local streets have also reportedly been damaged by the additional weight and strain of traffic they are not built for.
My day is twice as long and that sucks, Cus said. And if I was in a car accident my family is stuck. And because there is no alternative, there is no accountability, you know, my family will end up with nothing if that happens.
