New report confirms need for South West rail connection to airport

A powerful lobby group is calling for the extension of the South West Rail Link to the Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek.

The Urban Development Institute of Australia says we need to take full advantage of the future transport hub opportunities available in Greater Western Sydney, notably with the rail extension to the new airport and the aerotropolis.

The research was commissioned by UDIA NSW and prepared by Professor David Levinson from University of Sydney.

It found that extending the South West Rail link as part of better integrated transport and land use outcomes would be a city shaping strategy.

The research recommends that three new stations be created as part of the extension: Rossmore, South Creek and Bringelly Road.

“Successful global cities deliver city shaping transport with integrated city planning outcomes,’’ says Steve Mann, the CEO of UDIA NSW.

“To ensure that we get it right in NSW requires a new approach to business cases, where accessibility to jobs, schools, hospitals and amenities is planned at the same time as the rail.

“If we support the growth of Transit Oriented Development we can create great places, which maximise walkability from homes to railway stations,’’ Mr Mann said.

“This will deliver a citizen-centric city, one which brings jobs and homes closer, improves costs of living, causes less traffic and it is good for the environment.

“With Sydney Metro now doing the business case for continuing the metro rail connection from the Western Sydney Airport to Leppington and the opportunity to extend this through to Glenfield, there are many opportunities to improve the connections from the West to the West and to end the long commute to the CBD.

“If we are to plan for Sydney to continue our global competitiveness, we need to deliver more houses and improve our liveability… Western Sydney is the key to getting this right.’’

The proposed South West Rail Link (SWRL) Extension provides a great opportunity to better link the West with the West and further support the Aerotropolis as the new city in Greater Western Sydney, says the UDIA report.

“This will improve access from the Aerotropolis (Bradfield) to the Leppington (Strategic Centre) and Edmondson Park and Glenfield, which is a major station interchange that provides direct rail access to Sydney Airport and to the broader Sydney rail network.

“It also provides the opportunity to deliver new Transit Oriented Design (TOD) station centres and the planning foundation to provide a new rail line south towards Campbelltown and Macarthur.

“In delivering the SWRL extension, we must learn from the mistakes made with the West Sydney Airport Metro (WSA Metro), which failed to provide the optimal number of stations to improve access over the long term to connect with the Aerotropolis and the lack of integrated land use planning to achieve city shaping momentum and maximum growth,’’ the report said.

Established in 1963, the Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW (UDIA) is the peak industry body representing the leading participants in urban development in NSW, many of them in Western and South Western Sydney.

UDIA will launch the South West Rail Extension Report at Rydges hotel, Campbelltown, this afternoon, Friday, October 14.

Following the launch, Eleanor Creagh, senior economist from PropTrack (REA Group), will discuss the key economic indicators in NSW with national comparison, the broader economic climate and some of the lead indicators in the current property market.

Justine Kinch, Western Parkland City director, Greater Sydney Community & Place from Transport for NSW will discuss the future road planning occurring in Greater Western Sydney and projects such as Richmond Road, Picton Road, and the Aerotropolis road network.