NSW’s Coalition Government has turned up the heat in the Sydney Metro arms race ahead of the state election, announcing plans to start construction on the new route next year.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on March 3 the Liberals and Nationals had worked hard to put the state budget in a position where it could now commit to start work on a Sydney Metro rail line between the CBD and Parramatta as soon as 2020.
The Coalition says it would provide $6.4 billion for Metro West over the four year forward estimates.
Berejiklian confirmed plans for stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays Precinct and the City, and said investigations were still ongoing into possible stations between Olympic Park and Parramatta, such as Rydalmere and Pyrmont.
The announcement comes a fortnight after Labor leader Michael Daley said a Labor Government would provide immediate funding to the Metro West project, in part by scrapping the planned conversion of the Sydenham-Bankstown portion of the Sydney Metro City & South West project, which is already underway.
But Berejiklian said on Sunday only the Coalition was capable of delivering the project in a timely manner.
“We have worked our guts out to get the budget in a strong position and now we are able to deliver crucial rail projects like Metro West quicker than anyone thought was possible,” the premier said.
“Metro West will more than double the existing rail capacity between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD and only the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government can be trusted to make it a reality.
“This crucial project will reduce the journey between Parramatta and the city to around 20 minutes, with trains running every two minutes.”
Berejiklian’s transport and infrastructure minister Andrew Constance said Labor couldn’t be trusted on infrastructure.
“During its time in office Labor promised to build 12 rail lines, but did not deliver a single one in full,” he said.
“In fact Labor has promised a Metro to Western Sydney three times since the mid-90s and cancelled it every time. In 2010 they were so incompetent they handed $81 million back to the Federal Government after cancelling it once again.
“We already have the runs on the board. Metro North West will open in May and construction is underway on Sydney Metro City & South West. This is more than Labor is providing. Our funding is locked in. Labor is relying on billions of dollars of imaginary federal funding.”
NSW residents will head to the polls on March 23.