Andrew Gee (Member for Orange), in his capacity as Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Roads, said the state government was committed to delivering infrastructure upgrades along all sections of the highway.

“The Newell Highway is the freight transport backbone of regional New South Wales,” Mr Gee said.

“The strategy is designed to help ensure investment is targeted in the right areas to deliver benefits to local businesses and residents of the regional towns who depend on this vital network for their livelihood.”

Mayor of Parkes Cr Ken Keith (OAM)  , who is Chairman of the Newell Highway Taskforce, described the document as `important in the way it sets out the vision and funding priorities for the Newell Highway.’

“The development of the strategy has been a consultative process which has seen prioritisation of particular projects such as overtaking lanes and the removal of heavy vehicles from the centres of Parkes, Coonabarabran and Dubbo change between the draft strategy and the final report,” Cr Keith said.

“I believe the Newell Highway, which is the third busiest freight corridor in the state, and the communities and businesses along it, have benefitted from the consultation and the relationship that the Newell Highway Taskforce has built with the State Government.”

The taskforce includes representatives from the trucking industry, local governments, NRMA and the RMS.

“We are now confident that we have a document which sets a clear path for the future,” Cr Keith said.

“At the last taskforce meeting in Gilgandra it was revealed that 12 new overtaking lanes had been completed with six more to be completed during the next two years.”

Cr Keith said the State Government had also announced $500 million under the Regional Roads Freight Corridor Program.

This includes heavy duty pavement construction between Narrabri and Boggabilla, the Trewilga realignment and the Parkes heavy vehicle bypass.

The next meeting of the taskforce will take place in Moree on August 11.