11 March 2016
Announcements by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that a high speed rail link must be ready for the opening of the Western Sydney Airport in 2026 is good news, says the Urban Taskforce.
“A modern airport must be connected to its city centres by fast rail,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. “All global cities and particularly the global cities in the Asia Pacific region have fast train connections to their centres and Sydney must do the same to be competitive.”
“The recent proposals for a fast train connection from the Badgery’s Creek site through Parramatta, Camelia, Olympic Park, Canada Bay, the Bays Precinct to the city would seem to be a very viable solution for a fast rail connection. To connect the two major CBDs for Sydney with the new airport makes a lot of sense.”
“While political announcements have been made about fast rail we all need to see the details of where funding comes from and what routes are likely. It is important however to begin the detailed assessment process with a political commitment of intent to keep Australia’s global city competitive with other cities by ensuring Sydney demonstrates confidence in an optimistic future.”
“Clearly a fast rail route can be a catalyst for future development and this should be an important part of the decision making on a final route.”
“The Urban Taskforce is keen to be involved in discussions on route options and funding approaches. We are concerned about an over use of the value capture approach currently floated by governments as this will only increase the cost of housing.”