Metro authority a mistake, say Greens

Soon after calling for ‘greater co-ordination of rail, buses and ferries” Transport Minister David Campbell is set to establish a separate Sydney Metro Authority to manage the city’s mini-metro which, if it is ever built, will initially run from Rozelle to Central.

“Transport Minister David Campbell is wasting public money and resources in establishing a separate authority to manage one misguided CBD metro plan,’ Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said.

“There are already 10 transport agencies in NSW, many working in silos. In other states and internationally, co-ordinated transport planning is the buzzword. NSW is yet again moving in completely the opposite direction.

“The Greens will ask the government to put on the public record the estimated costs of establishing and operating this new authority.

Introducing the Bill to Parliament, Mr Campbell said, ‘Metros represent the future of Sydney’s transport. The CBD Metro is the first phase, with the creation of a dedicated, focused authority that will ensure the effective delivery of a world-class Metro product.

‘To achieve maximum value for the taxpayer, it is essential that [we] have an organisation that can draw from specialised, international expertise in the design, construction and operation of metro systems. It is also important to ensure that the Government has an organisation that is focused solely on the demands of delivering a world-class metro system for Sydney,’ he said.