The New South Wales Government will proceed with Parramatta Light Rail Stage Two, committing $602.4 million to start works and commence a detailed planning process to move ahead with the project in Sydney’s West.
The Parramatta Light Rail will connect Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia with a two-way track spanning 12 kilometres and is expected to open in 2023.
The route will link Parramatta’s CBD and train station to facilities such as the Westmead Health Precinct, Cumberland Hospital Precinct, CommBank Stadium and the Camellia Town Centre.
Stage two of the project will connect to the future Metro West and heavy rail in Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park, and ferry services at Rydalmere and Wentworth Point. Stage one of the Parramatta Light Rail is currently under construction and has created more than 5000 local jobs.
By 2026, around 28,000 people will use the light rail every day and an estimated 130,000 people will be living within walking distance of light rail stops.
The $602.4 million in funding will go towards early works and building the Wentworth Point Bridge, while detailed planning work for the next stage gets underway.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the project was backed by the state’s strong economic management.
“This vital piece of infrastructure will support the growth of Western Sydney while linking to another enormous project in Sydney Metro West, improving quality of life by slashing daily commute times,” he said.
Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott said the project has been a catalyst for investment and development in Greater Parramatta to the Olympic Peninsula.
“We’ve only just seen 100 per cent of tracks laid across the Parramatta Light Rail Stage One project as well as construction of the light rail stops along Church Street. Stage two will drive revenue for small businesses in the area and change how the community travel and connect to places across Greater Parramatta in the future,” Elliott said.
An Environmental Impact Statement for the project will be released for public comment by the end of the year.