NSW transport minister Andrew Constance yesterday publicly criticised the secretary of his department, after the secretary expressed doubts about a two-year time frame for the build of the new Sydney metro train yard.
Secretary Rodd Staples told a budget estimates hearing on Monday that the Sydney Speedway track in Western Sydney, which will be seized by the state government in 2021, could take more than two years to convert into a train yard for a new Sydney Metro line
“When I spoke to the bureaucrat (Mr Staples) overnight he said ‘I was just concerned about the planning approval process’. Well no, get on with it champ,” said Constance, according to a transcript of Ray Hadley’s 2GB radio show.
“I don’t want to publicly denigrate a good secretary but he’s just got to get on with this … This is not a complex build. I mean, it is a clay track.
“Even the pits, I mean It’s just asphalt being laid on the ground in an open space so they can do the work to the cars.”
“Two years to build a speedway? For goodness sake. They built Newcastle light rail, the construction, in a 12 month period. So I’m pretty confident we can put a clay track down, build some stands for the fans, put in a pit. I mean this is not complex work. And the best thing about this is there’s already dedicated motorsports at Eastern Creek so let’s go find the site and get on with it old mate. So that’s what I’ve said to him.”
When asked to comment by The Australian, the secretary stated: “I look forward to continuing to deliver the government’s $55.6 billion transport infrastructure agenda.”