NSW Liberal party commits to kicking off construction in 2020 on Sydney Metro West
Regardless of who wins the upcoming New South Wales state election on March 23rd, the proposal for Sydney Metro West looks set to be fast-tracked with the NSW Liberals and Premier Gladys Berejiklian committing to get construction underway by 2020.
This follows an earlier commitment - announced in February - from NSW Labor to fast-track the construction of the second metro line as well as spend $8 billion on the project.
The New South Wales Liberal Party announced over the weekend that Sydney Metro West proposal will kick off construction in 2020 should the coalition win this month's state election on the 23rd of March.
The caretaker and election-period announcement also included the NSW Liberal party promising to bring the public funding up to $6.4 billion.
The first phase of the Sydney Metro is set to open this year running from Tallawong/Rouse Hill in the out northwest to Chatswood. The second phase, which is well underway, will run from Chatswood under the harbour and through the CBD to Sydenham where the existing inner-west line will be converted to handle metro services to Blacktown.
NSW Labor has vowed to halt the conversion of the inner-west line between Sydenham and Blacktown.
Sydney Metro West is the second line of a new, separate rail network proposed for the Sydney region that will initially connect Sydney's CBD with Westmead, adding more rail capacity between Sydney and Parramatta.
One of the key benefits to be spruiked by the NSW Government is that journey times between Parramatta and central Sydney will reduce to 20 minutes. Likewise, key locations between the two endpoints will also see new stations including at Sydney Olympic Park, Five Dock and The Bays Precinct.
A connection to the T1 line will be made at Strathfield North and a potential station may be built in Pyrmont.
The NSW state election is to be held on Saturday, March 23rd.
