Businesses and community organisations have expressed sentiments to the NSW Government encouraging the development of Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2.
Organisations such as the City of Parramatta, Property Council of Australia, Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, Tourism & Transport Forum, NSW Business Chamber and Sydney Olympic Business Association wrote a letter to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance asking that the final business case for the project be released.
A survey of local residents by the Western Sydney Business Chamber and Olympic Park Business Association showed that 75 per cent of participants supported final route and start date commitments on the project.
“This project will be of massive benefit to Western Sydney and we are actively encouraging the NSW Government to get cracking on Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 as a priority of transport policy,” said Western Sydney Business Chamber executive director David Borger.
“The Greater Sydney Commission and the NSW Government talk about the goal of creating a ‘30-minute city’ – Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 together with Sydney Metro West will help deliver that vision.”
Early works commenced on Stage 1 of the $2.4 billion project in January this year.
Stage 1 of the project, which is expected to open to the public in 2023, will connect Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CDB and Camellia.
Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 is planned to connect to the developing Stage 1 line via Camellia. It will run to Sydney Olympic Park, Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point and is expected to open by 2025.
Earlier this month, Parramatta Light Rail revealed that the development would include a 1km stretch of ‘green track’, with grass and shrubbery running alongside the tracks at Cumberland Hospital, Robin Thomas Reserve and Tramway Avenue.