News
20 November, 2025
Traffic delays causing ‘real and immediate harm
Traffic delays near Marulan are causing “real and immediate harm” according to Member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman.
Traffic delays near Marulan are causing “real and immediate harm” according to Member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman.
In a video message posted to Facebook today (Thursday), Mrs Tuckerman said her office had been “inundated” with complaints over the past two weeks.
It has been taking some motorists 90 minutes to reach the contraflow section near the Marulan exit.
Some people have been delayed for as long as six hours.
As already reported by The Southern Wire, Traffic for NSW has seriously underestimated the length of potential delays as they undertake ‘essential’ works on a 1km section of the Hume Highway near the Marulan exit.
Motorists have taken to social media in their hundreds to vent their anger and frustration and to share their experiences.
One motorist said he had been stuck in traffic for almost two hours travelling at an average speed of seven kilometres per hour.
He said the trip from Sydney to Canberra had taken six hours – almost double the estimated 3hr 18 min travel time.
Other motorists report taking three hours to travel from Mittagong to Goulburn – more than three times the estimated 58 min travel time.
One motorist said it took three hours to travel from Paddys River to Marulan (estimated travel time 17 minutes) while another said the trip from Campbelltown to Goulburn had taken four hours (estimated travel time 1hr 34 mins).
Another said it had taken three hours to travel 60km.
When the works were announced late last month Traffic for NSW advised motorists to add up to 20 minutes’ additional travel time on weekdays and 30 minutes on weekends.
Mrs Tuckerman said Marulan businesses were suffering “catastrophic” financial impacts.
She said one business had spent months planning for a 10-year anniversary celebration only to experience a “dramatically reduced customer turnout” simply because people couldn’t get to Marulan.
Regular customers from the Southern Highlands, Canberra and surrounding areas had abandoned plans to attend due to the traffic chaos.
“This business is not alone,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“Many small businesses in Marulan rely on passing trade, weekend customers, their freight movements and reliable access.
“These ongoing delays are hitting them at the worst possible time right before Christmas.”
Mrs Tuckerman said the delays had also impacted people travelling for medical appointments, specialist care, surgeries and treatments.
She some people had missed their appointments altogether and had been forced to reschedule – meaning longer wait times, added costs and “real risks to their health”.
“This is simply unacceptable,” the MP said.
Mrs Tuckerman said she had experienced the congestion firsthand after being caught up in traffic rushing from Parliament to see her mother, who had just been taken to hospital.
Unfortunately, she warned, things are likely to worsen before they get better.
Major rail track closures on the weekend of December 7 and 8 will see trains replaced with coaches, funnelling even more traffic onto an “already struggling road network”.
She said the extra buses could potentially result in even longer delays for commuters, for residents, for emergency services and for freight.
“I have raised these issues with Transport for NSW and will continue pushing for urgent action including improved and responsive traffic management, emergency access protocols for medical travellers, clear advance communication for all road and rail users, support for Marulan’s small businesses who are now facing significant financial loss and a full review of current access arrangements,” the MP said.
Mrs Tuckerman has urged anyone impacted financially, medically or personally by the roadworks to share their experiences with her office.
She said these stories would form part of the evidence she is putting forward to the Minister for Transport and Transport for NSW.
Read More: Marulan, Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands