Nationals Member for Orange Russell Turner yesterday proposed the installation of the system, initially beginning with sections whenever new passing lanes were created, as recently happened near Lucknow.

Mr Turner said a similar approach had been used in Sweden for many years and had eliminated head-on accidents in that country.

While conceding the cost of undertaking such a measure over a road distance of nearly 60km would be considerable, he said money should not the main issue, rather the potential lives saved.

According to the NSW Opposition, road fatalities in the overall Central West and Western regions of the State totalled 68 last year, up from 54 lives lost in 2005.

"I'm saying: start it in sections now and, in the long-term, aim to have it all the way between Orange and Bathurst, which are the two fastest-growing urban centres out here.

"Given the growth of traffic and population in the Central West, it is imperative that we start thinking about permanent solutions to road risk.

"The truck traffic alone is increasing every day, and while we can't avoid accidents, we can try to reduce the severity of the worst type, which is head-ons," Mr Turner said.

He does not want widespread use of concrete barriers, such as those recently installed at the Rocks area, but rather a post-and-cable system that is used presently on the M4 motorway in Sydney.

The post-and-cable are used in long straight sections and prevents wandering vehicles from crossing to the other side of main roads.

He also wants to see a greater allocation of road funding to allow more passing lanes to be constructed.

Road issues are emerging as the leading topic of the coming State election.

In addition to centre barriers for the Great Western Highway, Mr Turner is backing an upgrading of the Mudgee-Orange track to a two-wheel-drive standard.

Meanwhile, Labor candidate Kevin Duffy has proposed a 20km upgrading of Cargo Road, while Greens candidate Jeremy Buckingham wants to see road freight shifted back onto the rail system.