STATE government plans for the grandly named Orange public transport interchange (the place where coaches meet the occasional train at Orange railway station) will be welcomed by residents of Orange but they will be looking for much more from a Coalition government asking for a second term.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tackling the itinerary that Deputy Premier and member for Dubbo Troy Grant and member for Orange Andrew Gee took yesterday can only mean the March election is approaching.
The pair criss-crossed the electorate, from Mudgee to Orange, to announce funding for a range of projects and electorate-wide initiatives designed to demonstrate regional voters have not been forgotten.
In Orange a “multimillion dollar” overhaul of what is essentially a car park outside the station will certainly improve the facility, but a faster, more frequent connection to Sydney would be more useful.
Yesterday, Mr Grant and Mr Gee held out the prospect of both.
Mr Gee has been working on co-ordinating connections with the cheap and very convenient “Bathurst Bullet” train service to Sydney. Mr Grant hoped to improve the “price and experience” of transport to Sydney.
Neither gave a date for either the introduction of a better coach and rail service to Sydney or a fare scale comparable with that enjoyed by rail travellers from Bathurst to Sydney.
More comfortable seating, better toilet facilities and pedestrian crossings will be appreciated by travellers making coach connections for western NSW, but there are other local issues, like the looming job losses in Orange and Bathurst, that demand attention.
There was also a little more detail on a $4 million tourism package for the Central West.
How the money will be spent will depend on submissions from tourism operators, groups and events, meaning festivals like Orange’s FOOD Week or Wine Week could be competing with Parkes’ Elvis Festival or a new tourist drawcard for funding.
Returning tax revenue to those who paid it is always welcome but so far the Baird government’s announcements for this part of regional NSW have been a little underwhelming.