If Labor wins government on March 25 it will fast track the process for a rail connection from the Western Sydney Airport to Macarthur.
It says the commitment will involve expanding the existing business case for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport to Leppington and Glenfield station (pictured above).
In 2020 it was revealed the NSW Liberals could take up to 10 years to even start planning for the connection.
As a result, residents in Macarthur would have to rely on so called rapid bus connections to the new airport, due to open in 2026.
However, it was reported late last year that concerns had been raised about the progress of the rapid bus networks, meaning Macarthur residents faced the very real prospect of no public transport connection at all to the airport when it opens in 2026.
These final business cases for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport will provide the detailed design, economic assessment and cost estimation to inform an investment decision for the construction of the two metro extensions.
The joint state and Commonwealth funding will stand at $155 million – including existing funding for the Leppington and Glenfield business case.
“This is meant to be a world class airport, yet it won’t have a direct rail link to the Macarthur region due to the NSW Liberals’ refusal to adequately plan for our region,’’ says Labor’s Campbelltown MP Greg Warren.
“NSW Labor knows providing rail links south from the new airport should be a priority and that is why we will expand the existing business case.”
Labor’s Leppington candidate Nathan Hagarty was singing from the same song sheet.
“It’s vital our growing area has adequate public transport links to the jobs and opportunities at the new airport and aerotropolis,’’ he said.
“We need the people of Leppington to be able to get and from where they need to when they need to.’’
Jo Haylen, Labor’s transport spokesperson, said more and more people are moving to Western Sydney but the Liberals haven’t delivered even though they had 12 years to build the public transport infrastructure to support growing communities.
“Labor knows we need to begin planning to deliver new mass public transport services that connect Western Sydney communities to each other from north to south,” Ms Haylen said.
