Labor sits on Western Sydney Metro options as infrastructure pipeline runs dry

Natalie Ward

Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure

Acting Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council

The Minns Labor Government has been sitting on detailed business cases for future rail links across Western Sydney, while refusing to say which projects will be backed and when growing communities will have access to the infrastructure they need.

Documents obtained by Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward reveal the station locations and alignment for the northern and southern extensions of the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport line and a heavy rail extension from Leppington.

The future plans for Sydney Metro revealed in the confidential documents include: 

Metro Northern extension:

· A five station extension from the currently under construction St Marys station to the existing Tallawong station.

· Including stations at Emerton, Bidwell, Marsden Park and Schofields.

Metro South West Sydney Extension:

· An eight-station extension from the currently under construction Bradfield to Campbelltown train station.

· Including stations at Bradfield South, Maryland, Pondicherry, Oran Park, Narellan, Mount Annan, Macarthur.

South West Rail Extension:

· A connection from Leppington station into the Western Sydney Airport precinct will be via the extending the existing Sydney Trains network rather than a new Metro line however, the new route only includes a single new station at Rossmore. 

· The final business cases’ recommended option includes building a new interchange between Sydney Metro and the Sydney Trains network which will occur at a new station called Bradfield South. 

This will require a one station extension of the under-construction Metro Western Sydney Airport line and the delivery of the heavy rail extension.

The documents also reveal Labor has examined imposing a new tax on homes and development around the proposed stations to help fund the projects.

Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Natalie Ward said Labor must explain why the future of the Sydney Metro’s network has been had been sitting on ministers’ desks since May without a decision or delivery plan.

“The Opposition shouldn’t have to uncover the future Sydney Metro Network; I don’t understand the secrecy” Ms Ward said.

“Western Sydney does not need another report gathering dust. The next question is how we get it built – what it costs, how it would be staged, when construction could begin and when Western Sydney families could actually use it.”

“It is time Labor stopped stalling and give the public a plan of action.”