Mitchell Highway Upgrade Calls After Fatal Crash Near Wellington

A fatal single-vehicle crash near Wellington has prompted calls for urgent upgrades to the Mitchell Highway. The incident, which occurred on Thursday morning, has claimed the life of a driver who has yet to be formally identified.

Emergency services were called to the scene at Apsley, approximately 5 kilometres south of Wellington, shortly after 4am. According to NSW Police, officers found a vehicle had crashed into a ditch, resulting in the driver's death.

Dubbo MP Dugald Saunders has attributed the crash to the need for more overtaking lanes on the Mitchell Highway. "Any death on our roads is one too many," he said. "The Mitchell Highway is a significant provider of daily traffic and also freight traffic. It is just being left behind [apart from] a bit of patchwork here and there."

The Mitchell Highway has been the site of multiple serious accidents in recent months. In May, a multi-vehicle crash near Neurea, south of Wellington, left a 70-year-old woman critically injured. Two trucks and two cars were involved in the incident, which police alleged was caused by a semitrailer crashing into vehicles stopped at roadworks.

Earlier this year, Transport for NSW reduced the speed limit on the Mitchell Highway between Dubbo and Wellington to 100 kilometres per hour. However, Mr Saunders argues that more overtaking lanes are necessary. "My question remains: why would you upgrade and widen when you are not then attaching overtaking lanes anywhere else and drop the speed limit?" he said. "It doesn't make sense."

A crime scene has been established as police investigate the circumstances surrounding Thursday's fatal crash. The Mitchell Highway remains closed northbound between Molong and Burrendong Way, with motorists advised to allow additional travel time.

A Transport for NSW Spokesperson expressed condolences to those affected by the crash, stating: "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by a serious crash on the Mitchell Highway at Apsley near Wellington. Transport for NSW is currently working on safety improvements at six locations between Orange and Wellington that have a history of crashes."