Campbell reverses policy on light rail

The NSW Government has made a significant backflip and announced it will investigate a light rail through the CBD centre, just two weeks after it ruled the proposal out.

NSW Transport Minister, David Campbell, last week said he would examine a tram line loop up George Street and down Hickson Road as part of the government’s current feasibility study into a light rail extension.

This came after Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore threatened to pull out of the study following the government’s refusal to incorporate the George Street loop as a proposal to be considered. The assessment study considering an expansion of the light rail network is being jointly funded by Ashfield, Leichhardt, Marrickville and Sydney Councils and the NSW Government.

A delighted Cr Moore welcomed the government’s revised position. “A light rail network would complement the State Government’s Metro and reduce overcrowding on bus services, and can be deployed quickly to substantially increase Sydney’s public transport capacity,” Cr Moore said in a statement.

“Without light rail Sydney will remain dominated by a severely inefficient and overcrowded bus network, and increasingly severe traffic congestion. A connected network of public transport that includes bus interchange, light rail, heavy rail and Metro is critical,” Cr Moore said. “Light rail should be viewed as complementary to other modes of transport, not in competition.”

Critics of the government warn the decision to include the metro loop may be a doubling up of transport infrastructure, with the controversial CBD Metro being proposed practically side-by-side to the light rail.

Mr Campbell conceded the decision will further delay the release of the study. “This will delay the process while an expanded request for proposals is developed and resubmitted,” he said. “It’s important that the councils come on board and assist us to get on with the job now and not allow any further delay.”

“The study was originally looking into possible extensions into the inner west and the CBD to Barangaroo, however, after agreeing to this the Councils have now requested that the study include the George Street loop.”

“I want an outcome and for that reason the Government will co-operate with the Councils and include the George Street loop in the study,” Mr Campbell said.

by Ehssan Veiszadeh