Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the most traumatic events to see is the aftermath of a car accident—the human cost and the twisted metal wreckage smashed against fences, light poles or tangled with other cars. On Richmond Road in my electorate of Greenway last week I witnessed such a sight and the memory is still with me. Something has to be done about Richmond Road, not just at the intersection with Knox Street or the corner of St Marys Road, not just moving the speed zones from 80 kilometres to 60 kilometres an hour or from 70 kilometres to 90 kilometres and back to 80 kilometres an hour and not just having a speed camera that everyone knows is there and that people slow down for and then speed up after once they are beyond its reach. Real improvements need to be made to this road, which is the major thoroughfare between Blacktown and Richmond.

Richmond Road needs to be upgraded to the standard of Windsor Road, upgraded to a dual carriageway to meet the needs of current and future users of the road. It is currently a goat track and has been for many years. I have had many complaints about Richmond Road. Almost every intersection has been a site for accidents, a number of which have been fatal. When a fatality occurs there is not just the loss of life; there is also the impact on the family, the extended family, the neighbourhood and the community.

When is the New South Wales government going to stop taking the people of Western Sydney for granted and give them a decent road? How long do people have to wait for something to be done? Over 12 months ago I called on the state government to upgrade Richmond Road. Some roadworks are being done, but they are not enough and are not happening quickly enough. As the member for Greenway I travel the road frequently—daily when I am in the electorate—and have also experienced near-misses. In the next few years, land bordering the 27 kilometres of Richmond Road from the M7 overpass to Richmond will have an influx of new residents as suburbs like Marsden Park, Riverstone, Windsor Downs, Llandilo and South Windsor expand into populated suburbs.

On behalf of my constituents in Greenway and all the people who travel Richmond Road, I call on the New South Wales government to take responsibility and to find a way to secure infrastructure funding to upgrade Richmond Road. This has to happen as soon as possible. Plans need to be put in place without delay, as one more accident is one too many, as the loss of one more life is one too many and as another family, another community and another neighbourhood impacted is one too many.