<p>The New South Wales Budget yesterday (Tuesday, June 24) has continued major funding of intermodal rail in Sydney, with Sydney Ports Corporation to get $30.75m to buy the Cooks River rail yards, near Port Botany.</p> <p>The corporation’s total capital budget for the year is $70.6m, including $2.6m for road work outside the Patrick terminal at Port Botany.</p> <p>Newcastle is budgeted for $5.1m in capital works this year and Port Kembla just $1m.</p> <p>Rail funding in the Budget includes $14.6m for the continued improvement of rail freight access to Port Botany. </p> <p>There is also $22.6m for upgrading of rail bridges.</p> <p>However, the Menangle rail bridge, a vital crossing to Sydney’s south which was controversially closed for three weeks earlier this year, will not be replaced in this Budget. </p> <p>Instead, $2.4m was set aside to start planning a replacement, estimated to cost almost $30m.</p> <br />
