MORE time with families and less time in traffic, was the catch cry for Liberal pollies who started off the working week with a $550 million commitment for the Albion Park Rail bypass.
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Princes Highway peak hour traffic was greeted by a wave of blue on Monday as a team of Liberals gathered in Albion Park Rail to announce a new pool of funding that would “complete the missing link” from Sydney to the South Coast if the Baird Government is re-elected.
The long-awaited bypass would provide a 10km extension of the M1 Princes Motorway, bypassing Albion Park Rail between Yallah and Oak Flats.
President of the NRMA Kyle Loades said the bypass had been their number one Illawarra project for a decade and would ensure “locals get their local road back”.
NSW Premier Mike Baird called the announcment an ‘‘historic day for the Illawarra”.
"Today, we are committing funding to ensure the full bypass will be delivered and we’ll get construction underway in our next term of government,” Mr Baird said.
“The Albion Park Rail bypass takes away 16 intersections, it takes away the last remaining traffic lights from Heathcote to Bomaderry and it’ll make a huge difference on the daily commute and indeed the expectations is up to 30 per cent savings on a daily commute.”
Part of the funding ($350 million) would come from the Rebuilding NSW Plan and the remaining $200 million would come from the record roads and freight budget.
Member for Kiama Gareth Ward said building was projected to commence in 2018 and funding was contingent on the long-term leasing of the states poles and wires.
“We need to ensure that we rent the poles and wires in order to make this project happen and that is certainly part of the funds that are being allocated,” Mr Ward said.
“The project will start in the next term of government, obviously the planning work and property acquisition is still to be completed.
"We have delivered on our promises at Gerringong and we’re delivering on our promises at Berry - the people of Kiama know only the Baird Government can be trusted to deliver the Albion Park Rail Bypass."
Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson said the funding promise was as “hollow as a doughnut”.
“The Liberals’ have left a gaping $50 million black hole in this project.
“I find it inexplicable that Gareth Ward MP has made such a hollow promise when he spent $1.1 million over the last four years on a Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) which explicitly says the bypass construction is estimated to cost $600 million.
“It just shows that in the rush to have an election stunt at the go-karts 12 days from the election, Gareth Ward and my Liberal opponent in Shellharbour have left a gaping hole in the total funding required for the Albion Park Rail Bypass.”
Liberal Candidate for Shellharbour Mark Jones said a Baird liberal team was “the only team who will deliver the infrastructure”.
“Anna Watson has been saying for the last four years that she has been fighting for the people of Shellharbour, well it’s time to stop fighting, people have had enough of fighting, its time to start delivering.”
