ELECTRIFYING the rail line from Lithgow to Bathurst and taking the Bathurst Bullet further west are two of the projects listed for investigation in a transport plan for the region.
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The Draft Central West and Orana Regional Transport Plan also makes mention of a fast rail strategy for the state, which has been promised for some time but has yet to be made public.
The western route from Sydney to Parkes, via Bathurst, is one of four options for NSW Government investment as part of the fast rail vision, which has been talked about for at least three years but without accompanying detail.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole, however, has previously indicated the line through Bathurst is likely to receive improvements to make it "faster rail" as opposed to being transformed into a fast rail line.
The NSW Government says the Draft Central West and Orana Regional Transport Plan provides a blueprint for transport for the region over the next 20 years.
The plan says an extra 20,000 people will move to the Central West and Orana region during that period, led by a 21 per cent growth in the Bathurst Regional Council area population (compared with 16pc in the Orange City Council area and 13pc in the Dubbo Regional area).
It says Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange council areas account for 47 per cent of the region's population at the moment and that will grow to 53 per cent by 2041.
The plan says the multi-billion-dollar Great Western Highway duplication from Katoomba to Lithgow will improve the Central West's access to the new Badgerys Creek Airport, which is due to open in 2026, and says the highway work will mean improved access to Sydney for "high productivity vehicles".
High productivity vehicles are described as vehicles "that can carry more freight more efficiently, with improved safety and environmental performance".
The plan also lists a number of transport initiatives, broken into various categories.
Listed as "for investigation", with a timeframe of one to 10 years, are the electrification of the rail corridor between Lithgow and Bathurst; extending the Bathurst Bullet rail service to Orange, which is a long-term goal of the Orange Rail Action Group; and what is described as "fast rail improvements - Sydney to Central West".
The NSW Government says the community can visit yoursay.transport.nsw.gov.au/cwortp to have their say on the draft plan and make submissions until 5pm on Friday, February 18, 2022.
