Light rail system planned for Sydney

Date: 9/10/2012

The state government of (NSW) New South Wales has proposed a $30 billion (£19 billion) transport plan to improve the movement of people around Sydney.

Two main features have been clarified with the $10 billion WestConnex motorway making up the first half and a light rail tram system representing the second.

If implemented the light rail lines would connect Kensington, Moore Park and the University of New South Wales to the central business district, reports The Southern Courier.

Kim Elli, Director of Centennial Parklands which oversees Moore Park, said that moving people effectively around the city would allow for economic growth and social progress.

Talking about the light rail infrastructure specifically Nick Greiner, Infrastructure NSW Chairman, said travel would be revolutionised for students and football crowds.

The system would cost $500 million to implement and work would start on building the project in five years time.

Coogee Liberal MP Bruce Notley-Smith said: "The light rail line would radically improve transport times from University of NSW to Central."

One suggestion outlined in the First Things First strategy is that places set to benefit from the light railway running past them could help to finance the project and reduce the cost for taxpayers.

Further recommendations in the report include investing in excess of $7.5 billion in passenger rail infrastructure over the coming 20 years.

This should lead to more services travelling through the central business district, connecting commuters to Wollongong, Gosford and Newcastle.

Another idea to ease congestion on the road during peak hours is to build an underground Bus Rapid Transport system which would improve travel times for many.

The cost of such a system would be $2 billion and would take five to ten years to complete with Wynyard and Town Hall stations redeveloped into interchanges.

An additional benefit of this would be that part of George Street could be pedestrianised.

Posted by Nick Anderson

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