Western FastRail

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This article or section contains information about a planned or expected public transportation infrastructure in Australia. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the infrastructure approaches, and more information becomes available.

Western FastRail
Overview
Mode	Commuter rail proposed
Area	Sydney Parramatta Penrith
Owner	Yet to be determined
Design
2004	Line announced
Operations
Public transport |  v • d • e

Western FastRail is a proposed $2 billion privately funded underground and above-ground train line that would link central Sydney with Western Sydney. The concept has been around for some time, but was recently reproposed in December 2006 by then federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd during a visit to Penrith should the Australian Labor Party win the 2007 Federal Election. The plan has received approving comments by the NSW State Government.^[1] On 18 March 2008, the NSW Government announced the SydneyLink project which includes the consideration of a West Metro in the future linking Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, and a future extension through a second harbour crossing to Chatswood.^[2]

It is proposed that two 26 kilometre underground tunnels will link Sydney (possibly Wynyard station or a new nearby station to be built as part of MetroPitt) with Parramatta, with high-speed trains transversing across the distance in eleven minutes at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The line will continue above-ground to Blacktown in six minutes, and onwards to Penrith in a further eleven minutes. Currently on existing CityRail lines these journeys take up to three times as long.

Western FastRail is being backed by a consortium lead by union leader Michael Easson, which includes Dutch bank ABN AMRO and Australian construction company Leighton Holdings.

The project has been prompted by congestion on Sydney's westbound trains and roads, the growing importance of Parramatta as a business centre, higher petrol prices, public opposition to tolled roads and environmental concerns. An unreleased government document leaked to The Daily Telegraph suggests that such a train would eliminate the need of around 18 million car trips per year, reducing between 34,000 and 45,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions being injected into the atmosphere.

Contents 1 Stations 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Stations

• Circular Quay
• Martin Place
• Central
• Parramatta
• Penrith

[edit] See also

• SydneyLink
• North West Metro
• South East Metro
• Future extension via a second harbour crossing to Chatswood

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Sydney Morning Herald
• Leighton Contractors Infrastructure Investment: Western FastRail

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