Experts tout new rail plan for Sydney

An independent report suggests the NSW government should focus on new heavy and light rail projects instead of the planned CBD metro project.

keneallY_kristina_091204_L_aap_1209625137
The NSW government's being urged to give serious consideration to an independent public inquiry that's called for the Sydney CBD metro project to be postponed or scrapped.

The inquiry, headed by former Road Traffic Authority and rail chief Ron Christie, and backed by Fairfax Medi, says money should instead be put into new heavy and light rail projects across
Sydney.

Greens MP and Transport spokeswoman Lee Rhiannon has called on Premier Kristina Kenneally to meet with Mr Christie

She says the work of the Christie inquiry puts the NSW government to shame when it comes to solving Sydney's transport crisis.

The 450-page preliminary report recommends immediately building a $3.7bn line between Epping and Rouse Hill in north-west Sydney and a $1.3bn line between Glenfield
and Leppington in the south-west.

Major building companies says they'll pursue the state government for lost costs if it dumps or alters the Metro project, but Christie is urging the government not to sign any contracts for the CBD and parts of the West Metro projects.

Christie warns ''The proposed routes would jeopardise, perhaps fatally, future heavy rail capacity expansion and congestion-relief options within the CBD and across the harbour'', reports the Sydney Morning Herald.



Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world