Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you live in Bennelong, I can almost guarantee that you've spent time stuck in traffic because of the Epping Bridge. It's one of Sydney's worst bottlenecks and more or less cuts our community in two. If you live to the west of the bridge, you only cross it if you have to. If you live to the east, you try and avoid it at all costs.

That's why, before the last election, I made a commitment to upgrade the Epping Bridge. It's an upgrade that'll help ease traffic congestion and reduce travel times. After 12 years of unfulfilled promises by former governments, I'm proud to be part of a government that will deliver this much-needed upgrade. Importantly, we will deliver it alongside our new state colleagues in the Minns Labor government. I'm pleased to report that the contract to start design work for the widening of the bridge has been awarded. It will lead to a period of community consultation on the final design next year and construction after that. The upgrades will see the bridge widened in both directions, including the addition of wider footpaths for pedestrian safety. It'll have a new central median and safety screens along the bridge.

I was elected to Bennelong to address the mess left by the former government, and I'm proud to be a part of a government that honours its promises and will deliver this much-needed upgrade to our community to get families home quicker and safer and provide active transport connections for the Epping town centre.