Table of Contents
Truck Stop Before Bellbird Hill Quietly Closed for Months as Accidents Continue on the Great Western Highway
Motorists are raising concerns over the continued closure of a key truck stop on the Bell’s Line of Road (BLOR), just west of Bellbird Hill, at a time when another serious truck accident has occurred on the Great Western Highway. An incident occurred this week that again forced traffic to be redirected onto the already pressured BLOR.
The truck stop, one of the few along the route capable of accommodating large semi-trailers, has been blocked off for months. The closure has puzzled residents, transport operators, and local drivers, who say the area provides an important final rest point before trucks begin the steep descent of Bellbird Hill into the Hawkesbury.
Signage Removed Only Recently After Safety Concerns Raised
For months, the approach sign featuring an image of a semi-trailer and directing drivers into the rest area remained in place despite the stop itself being closed. Motorists reported seeing heavy vehicles attempt to enter, only to brake suddenly upon encountering the barricade. One driver told the Gazette they witnessed a truck jack-knife while trying to avoid the blocked entrance, calling the situation “dangerous and completely avoidable.”
Drivers were reportedly forced to reverse back onto the roadway after mistakenly entering the blocked-off area.
The issue was raised directly with the New South Wales Minister for Roads, the Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP, during a recent press event at The Hive Berambing, where she emphasised the importance of road safety and the state’s investment in BLOR upgrades.
In the past week, the truck-stop sign has finally been concealed with black plastic, but the rest area itself remains closed without public explanation.
Safety History Heightens Concerns
Local concern is heightened by the recent history of heavy-vehicle incidents on and around Bellbird Hill. On 24 March this year, a near fatal semi-trailer accident at Kurrajong involved several Bilpin residents and brought traffic to a standstill. The steep descent, well known for brake failures and runaways, demands that heavy-vehicle drivers select low gear and ensure adequate rest and preparation before beginning the slope.
For drivers travelling long distances from western NSW, the closed rest area may have been their intended stopping point before tackling the descent into the Hawkesbury and onward to Sydney.
Closure Unexplained as Traffic Pressures Rise
With another truck accident this week on the Great Western Highway forcing heavy traffic onto BLOR, a common occurrence during highway-blocking incidents, questions about the truck stop’s closure are taking on renewed urgency. Locals say the BLOR already struggles under diverted traffic, especially when heavy vehicles unfamiliar with the steep and winding descent are redirected.
Transport operators are calling for clarity: Why was the truck stop closed? Why did the warning signage remain uncovered for months despite safety concerns? And when, if at all, will the rest area reopen?
The Hawkesbury Gazette will continue to seek comment from the Minister for Roads and Transport for NSW.
