M12 Motorway name

[Johnny Telcher]

What do you think the M12 Motorway be called?

I think it will be most likely called Elizabeth Motorway as it pretty much supersedes Elizabeth Drive as the main road between The Northern Road and the M7.

[davis]

Not being a PPP, it doesn't really have a pressing "need" for a name. 

While the NSW government is copping some heat for its predecessor naming the development surrounding the airport "Bradfield", nonetheless let's call it "Bradfield Highway". I'm sure that won't be confusing.

[Jason Kumar]

Have a feeling they'll just call it the M12 motorway.  Northconnex didn't even get a new name and route number which was a shame. Elizabeth motorway would be nice though

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[#130km/hforthehume]

Maybe WSA Motorway/Freeway, which is actually somewhat of an intuitive name? Most motorways in Sydney have other names; they're just not signed. Elizabeth Motorway seems unlikely given the naming of the Hunter Expy.

Might seem like an arbitrary question, but what does "PPP" mean, davis?

[ed24f1]

Public Private Partnership

[Nihat]

Hopefully it can be named after a significant Western Sydney or airline pioneer. There probably would be opportunities on the shared path also. A wonderful opportunity and there are benchmarks from other cities around the world with their main arterials to the airport. 

On Mon, 5 June 2023, 2:56 pm Johnny Telcher, <johnny...@gmail.com> wrote:

What do you think the M12 Motorway be called?

I think it will be most likely called Elizabeth Motorway as it pretty much supersedes Elizabeth Drive as the main road between The Northern Road and the M7.

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[AlienChex]

Nancy Bird Motorway? Why not name it after the airport 

[Nihat]

Community update for this project: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2024/m12-community-update-2024-09.pdf

Flyover - West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbEax1kiZuk

Flyover - East https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-xI-4oBEBQ

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[Nihat]

December update

https://media.caapp.com.au/tztkrl.pdf

Flyover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ1cbqkWyvc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xlR-oBzjC4

[Paul Rands]

Those aerial videos are awesome. Can't wait for this to open to get pix!

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[Nihat]

End of year video: https://media.caapp.com.au/embed/gs1ry2?autoplay=true

Includes an example of signage, it looks OK but I would have preferred the M12 to be brighter. I thought they had moved that way going forward but at least it is borderless. 

Presumably the signs earlier on the motorway will specify airport here is Western Sydney. 

[Hubert Lam]

Nancy Bird Walton Motorway? 😊

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[davis]

It's already her airport. The equivalent would be the naming of "Southern Cross" Drive being Kingsford-Smith's famous aircraft. Walton was a mostly known as WOMAN employed pilot, but it seems her first personal aircraft was a DH60G named "Vincere".

I don't know that "Vincere Motorway" makes a great name though...

https://www.airhistory.net/photo/408096/VH-UTN

[Luke W]

I can only think that with what seems like NSW naming policy about motorways and tunnels that have a number, it'll just stay the "M12 Motorway" publicly (heck, even Northconnex lost its name on most signs once it finally got a number, to just become the "M11 Tunnel").

Not exactly like there's a need for a brand for the project beyond that since it's toll-free, either. On the other hand, you could use the precedent of the M4 getting its "Western Motorway" name back when it briefly went toll-free as an argument the other way.

I do wonder how they will delineate the two in places where it's needed... thinking places like the M5/M7 interchange which could point you to either. Even just "SYD" or "WSI" attached to the airport logos there.

[Nihat]

Another flyover video from the M7 to Airport interchange, some more signage visible here

https://youtu.be/QJ3TtR3Ze6s?si=lA2li_jMYAJhwXQ1

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[Henry Ung]

I went for a drive along Elizabeth Drive.

This was taken at Range Road, near the Sydney International Shooting Centre.

Wallgrove Rd has be realigned further west to meet the Elizabeth Drive off ramp heading east.

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[Paul Rands]

Some of those new signs look a little busy.

Good to see M12 on a sign though.

Paul R

li...@paulrands.com

http://www.expressway.net.au/

On 13 Apr 2025, at 12:14, Henry Ung <vendet...@gmail.com> wrote:

I went for a drive along Elizabeth Drive.

This was taken at Range Road, near the Sydney International Shooting Centre.

Wallgrove Rd has be realigned further west to meet the Elizabeth Drive off ramp heading east.

<1000012251.jpg>

On Thu, 6 Mar 2025, 18:43 Nihat, <lbj2...@gmail.com> wrote:

Another flyover video from the M7 to Airport interchange, some more signage visible here

https://youtu.be/QJ3TtR3Ze6s?si=lA2li_jMYAJhwXQ1

<image.png>

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[Nihat]

Agree. If only they had made the signage public for feedback. Frustrating 

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[AlienChex]

The intersection signs with M7 will be very busy, because M7 signs always show the “long” destination (Newcastle and Canberra) since it acts as the city bypass. I wonder if the “Sydney” destination will point north to the M4 or south to the M5

[Sam L]

Based on the RD sign in the thread below, Sydney is measured via the M7/M4 route.

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of AlienChex <harrison...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 15 April 2025 8:49 AM
To: Aussie Highways <aussie-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

 

[Nihat]

Latest flyover video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BESwj0GaMJE

Another sign, really glad they are using overhead directional but disappointed they look to not be implementing the blue signage as in other states for a toll road as per one of the recommendations of the toll review. 

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[Sam L]

Yes, this sign is particularly poor as it is the last exit before the toll is payable. So why show 'TO M7 MWY [TOLL]' which can easily be misunderstood as saying this section is not tolled!

Compare that with the M7 eastbound approaching Norwest Boulevard (last exit before M2 toll is payable) - it is very clear that straight ahead is a tolled road. 

Also curious to note no indication of which route to Kingsford-Smith Airport from here?

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Nihat <lbj2...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, 10 May 2025 3:33 PM
To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

Latest flyover video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BESwj0GaMJE

Another sign, really glad they are using overhead directional but disappointed they look to not be implementing the blue signage as in other states for a toll road as per one of the recommendations of the toll review. 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 at 18:31, Sam L <crazykn...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Based on the RD sign in the thread below, Sydney is measured via the M7/M4 route.

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Sent: Tuesday, 15 April 2025 8:49 AM
To: Aussie Highways <aussie-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

 

The intersection signs with M7 will be very busy, because M7 signs always show the “long” destination (Newcastle and Canberra) since it acts as the city bypass. I wonder if the “Sydney” destination will point north to the M4 or south to the M5

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[AlienChex]

IMO, that Norwest sign should remove the M7 route number because going straight must join M2 and this means paying another seperate toll to the existing M7 that just ended. This is not made clear by the sign unless you know about the different motorway tolling schemes.

We really should just have a reform on toll motorway signs and make them a blue, but a different colour to that of existing blue signs (eg Hospital)

[Luke W]

On Sunday, 11 May 2025 at 7:42:20 pm UTC+10 AlienChex wrote:

IMO, that Norwest sign should remove the M7 route number because going straight must join M2 and this means paying another seperate toll to the existing M7 that just ended. This is not made clear by the sign unless you know about the different motorway tolling schemes.

It's a relic from when they originally co-signed M7 all the way to/from Pennant Hills Road - presumably with the intent to also give NorthConnex the M7 number eventually, making it a direct swap for the Cumberland Highway route - and the reason you give is probably exactly (part of) the reason why they stopped doing that soon after.

There is a big sign that says "last exit before M2 [toll]" in the central reservation near the Norwest Blvd sign but that used to say something like "last exit before Pennant Hills Road" in the very early days of the M7 [the west-facing Windsor Road ramps weren't done yet], trying to show the M7 as a seamless thing that included that bit of the M2 as well. Given the two separate tolling systems, that pretty much went down like a lead balloon.

There's certainly merit to switching to the gold-on-blue for toll roads that VIC and QLD do, but for whatever reason TfNSW isn't interested.

[Sam L]

The end of project-based tolling and adoption of a consistent per-km toll charge with a cap would eliminate this issue with M2/M7.

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From: aussie-...@googlegroups.com <aussie-...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Luke W <lwr.c...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 13 May 2025 1:08 PM

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Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

[Paul Rands]

Yuck. That looks horrible.

Paul R

li...@paulrands.com

http://www.expressway.net.au/

On 10 May 2025, at 17:33, Nihat <lbj2...@gmail.com> wrote:

Latest flyover video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BESwj0GaMJE

Another sign, really glad they are using overhead directional but disappointed they look to not be implementing the blue signage as in other states for a toll road as per one of the recommendations of the toll review. 

<image.png>

On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 at 18:31, Sam L <crazykn...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Based on the RD sign in the thread below, Sydney is measured via the M7/M4 route.

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Sent: Tuesday, 15 April 2025 8:49 AM
To: Aussie Highways <aussie-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

 

The intersection signs with M7 will be very busy, because M7 signs always show the “long” destination (Newcastle and Canberra) since it acts as the city bypass. I wonder if the “Sydney” destination will point north to the M4 or south to the M5

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[ed24f1]

Hopefully there is a Last Exit Before Toll sign at least

[AlienChex]

I’m predicting the church street problem where there’s a queue of traffic getting off the last exit to use wallgrove road or Elizabeth drive to avoid the tolls

[Nick Willoughby]

I drive it everyday for work, just stay on the Ms untill you reach the airpot, the M2, LCT, Harbour Crossings, ED and Southern Cross Dr, 

[Nihat]

Here's a youtube video someone did of the route from the shared path

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n2Vk1NvCuo

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[Nihat]

February Community update

https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2026/M12-Motorway-community-update-february-2026_0.pdf

[Michael Faria]

It looks very good although I doubt I'll ever have a reason to drive on it. I wonder whether they'll open it using the Elizabeth Dr eastern ramps while the M7 interchange is being finished. 

[Jason Kumar]

I believe it is confirmed that it will open in two stages, see video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXcKc4ez894

Jason

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[Michael Faria]

I figured that until commercial flights start at the airport the M12 wouldn't really be needed but if everything is done west of the M7 interchange then there's no reason not to open it.

I was looking at the outer Sydney motorway plans and on the TfNSW page it appears the section of M12 between the Northern Rd and the airport interchange will end up being M9 outer orbital. The plan shows a four-way interchange at the present airport interchange with the M9 forming the northern and western legs, with it continuing across the Northern Rd and then curving south around the back of Luddenham. I was thinking about this when I saw there was no accomodation for the motorway to be extended beyond the Northern Rd and looking at the airport interchange it would appear difficult to convert it into a full Maltese cross like the M4-M7 interchange, particularly with the braided ramps for Elizabeth Dr.

[Nihat]

Some driver view videos have been uploaded

https://caportal.com.au/rms/m12/downloads

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/aussie-highways/3c7ab01a-8f09-447c-8d55-cd0fd43bf4e5n%40googlegroups.com.

[Musa Hodzic]

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[Musa Hodzic]

[Musa Hodzic]

[Nihat]

Would have preferred the M12 to be first followed by the airport sign. 

On Thu, 19 Feb 2026, 04:43 Musa Hodzic, <musah...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Sam L]

I really don't like the mixing of route name and destination here with WSI/M12. Give WSI its own line on the sign with its own distance - or just put WSI up top next to M7 like RTA/RMS/TfNSW did for the plain Airport symbol for many years.

However if you have decided to do it this way, I agree with you Nihat, WSI should be to the right of M12 for clarity.

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Sent: Thursday, 19 February 2026 6:41 AM

To: Aussie Highways <aussie-...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

[Sam L]

Nice photos Musa!

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Sent: Thursday, 19 February 2026 1:48 AM

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Subject: Re: [Aussie Highways] M12 Motorway name

[Musa Hodzic]

Thanks Sam.

Agree with you both. Also, I think these signs look a bit too cluttered. Could've made bigger signs and allow little extra space for clarity as well.

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[Michael Faria]

They could've done better. The airport symbol should be on the right so the yellow motorway numbers are in line on the left. The road names aren't consistent either; "MWY" and "COWPASTURE ROAD" are in a wider, heavier text than "MWY" and "ELIZABETH DRIVE".

[Nihat]

I wouldn't have minded them going the Western Ring Rd style/American where upcoming exits are on these signs only and not place names Blacktown/Newcastle. 

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[Michael Faria]

The problem with urban focal points is that there are so many to choose from but in most cases very few motorists are travelling to any specific one, as is the case with Blacktown here. Having Newcastle as a focal point is good though because it reassures motorists travelling north from the city that they're going the right way.

As a seperate matter, it seems NSW has gone back to the darker green after a few years of the lighter green.

[Nihat]

That's true. There's a definitely a case on the M7 to have NORTH and SOUTH on directional signage. 

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[Michael Faria]

Complete drive-through video. Shows the M12 itself and parts The Northern Rd and Elizabeth Dr, not Warami Dr or the M7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiPWpDwgGLI

The signage is poor in my opinion. There are excessive "no stopping on motorway" signs, which combined with the signs for the cross-overs, stopping bays and variable speeds produce a general clutter. The signage annoyed me enough to do up timestamps, the ones in bold are the notably bad ones.

Westbound

0:13 AD Elizabeth Dr wb. for M7 interchange

0:26 ID ditto. Odd 250 m sign of a lighter green hanging underneath.

0:47 AD Elizabeth Dr for M12 interchange. Elizabeth Dr not named, M12 symbol placed next to WSI rather than “motorway’. Elizabeth Dr focal point is Bradfield, M12 focal point is Penrith.

0:48 ID right turn to M7 nb.

0:50 AD Elizabeth Dr right turn to Wallgrove Rd. Elizabeth Dr again not named.

0:53 AD Elizabeth Dr left turn to M12. M12 symbol again next to WSI rather than “motorway”.

0:55 AD Elizabeth Dr right turn to Wallgrove Rd

1:04 ID Elizabeth Dr left turn to M12. M12 symbol again placed poorly.

1:06 ID Elizabeth Dr right turn to Wallgrove Rd. Two panels rather than one and Elizabeth Dr again not named.

1:15–1:23 Left lane ends sequence

1:25 Rectangular sign covered

1:29 Ditto

1:48 100 starts within roadwork

3:50 RD

5:55 Warami Dr 2 km. No focal point for M12.

6:33 Warami Dr 1 km. Wallacia, Penrith focal points this time.

7:07 Warami Dr exit

7:17 Warami Dr exit lane arrangement. Interesting design. The variable speed signs on the offramp are well within view of the M12.

7:30 Offramp lane arrangement for Elizabeth Dr interchange. Strangely says “To Elizabeth Dr” rather than naming Elizabeth Dr.

8:29 Sign naming Cosroves Creek mounted away from road, next to shared path. Also at Luddenham Rd

8:43 RD

10:15 80 ahead. Unusually it and the 80 aren’t on both sides

10:21 AD for The Northern Rd

10:27 Traffic light symbol, rather small!

10:31 Ditto, with lane arrangement. Unfortunately the video cuts before the IDs.

Eastbound

10:39 AD The Northern Rd northbound for M12. Unusual: doesn’t name The Northern Rd but includes a redundant and inconsistent lane digram.

10:59 ID ditto. Far from motorists’ view.

11:29 RD. Blue, only mentions WSI.

12:06 Warami Dr exit 2 km. Again, no M12 focal points.

12:46 Warami Dr exit 1 km. Blacktown, Campbelltown focal points for M12.

13:24 Warami Dr exit

15:07 RD

16:22 RD, only 2 km after the last one

18:11 Elizabeth Dr exit 2 km. A no entry symbol for the M12 ahead.

18:48 Elizabeth Dr 1 km. The same, but a lot of room left at the top of the sign.

18:43 Cantilever VMS: “Roadworks ahead left lane closed merge right -> ->”

19:05 Elizabeth Dr exit lane arrangement. Partly covered.

19:12 “Last exit before toll”

19:40 Elizabeth Dr exit

20:11 Lane arrangement for M7 interchange. Hard to make out.

20:15 AD offramp for Elizabeth Dr. Ugly!

20:25 Exit for northbound M7. Hard to make out.

20:30 ID offramp for right turn Elizabeth Dr. The hospital symbol makes “Liverpool” spaced further from the other focal points.