BY ISABEL EVERETT
With record numbers of holiday travelers expected to head to regional NSW this holiday season, Hunter motorists are being urged to plan ahead to avoid traffic delays.
“It has been a tough year for the people of NSW and we know 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,” Minister for Regional Transport and Roads , Paul Toole said.
“That’s why we have identified bottlenecks and pinch points so people can plan ahead between Friday 18 December and Monday 4 January as well as for the Australia Day long weekend.”
Mr Toole said historic travel data suggested the best times to leave were;
- Between 6am and 9am or after 3pm if travelling north from Newcastle and Sydney and the same for return journeys.
- Between 6am and 11am or after 6pm if travelling south from Newcastle and Sydney and before 9am or after 3pm for return journeys.
- Between 6am and 9am or after 3pm if traveling west from Newcastle and Sydney and the same for return journeys.
“For those travelling north, the $15 billion Pacific Highway duplication from Hexham to the Queensland will take more than 2.5 hours off your travel time,” Mr Toole said.
“For those heading down to the South Coast, the Princes Highway upgrade is powering ahead with the Albion Park Rail bypass expected to open to traffic by mid-2021, the Berry to Bomaderry upgrade more than 50 per cent complete and major construction underway on the new Nowra Bridge."
To find out more about the best times to travel by car visit;
https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/about/news-events/holiday-journeys/time-travel-chart.pdf
