Light rail extension a “rip off”

An independent advocacy group has accused the State Government of drastic
overspending on the long awaited 5.6 km light rail extension connecting Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill in the Inner West.

The light rail extension, which includes nine stations, will cost NSW taxpayers $176 million. At $36 million per kilometer, the project is “a rip off” according to Convener for EcoTransit, Gavin Gatenby.

The group recently uploaded a 10 minute video to YouTube, which details the organisation’s concerns about the transport funding. In the video, Mr
Gatenby said: “The treasury official and private consultants that come
up with these estimates are pushing the costs of vital rail infrastructure out of reach.

“Once these rip off estimates are out in the public then the construction – and we’re talking about a cozy duopoly – industry bids up to them. That’s what has happened out here in NSW Sydney. If the O’Farrell Government doesn’t get on top of this problem then they can kiss goodbye their rail infrastructure plans.”

Eco Transport has posted a scathing expose to YouTube comparing the cost of the light rail extension to similar, more cost effective projects elsewhere in Australia and overseas. A spokesperson for NSW Transport responded to the video by saying: “Assertions made in the EcoTransit video regarding the Inner West Light Rail Extension are incorrect and do not represent the scale of the project. The NSW Government is committed to giving taxpayers value for money when delivering infrastructure projects.”

The spokesperson said $116 million had been allocated in the 2012/13 financial year to start building the Inner West Light Rail Extension.
An additional $25 million has been allocated to plan for future light rail development beyond the Inner West Extension.

“This demonstrates the Government’s commitment to light rail and its belief that light rail will play an important part inthe future of public transport in Sydney.”

Friends of Greenway Convenor, Jud Agius is in agreement with EcoTransit’s
assertions that the light rail extension has been approved at an inflated cost. “There are a number of transport experts who have raised this point that the cost of this $176 million light rail infrastructure project far exceeds the cost of similar projects done overseas,” he said.

Friends of Greenway campaigned for a number of years for a Greenway corridor which was to include a cycleway, walking track and revegitated
bush corridor. The Greenway was included in the project plans of the former Labor Government but in September of last year the O’Farrell Government announced that GreenWay shared pathway component would be deferred indefinitely.

“Last year the NSW Government deferred the greenway component of the
project because of cost,” he said. “If evidence comes about that the Light Rail extension is overpriced, Friends of the Greenway would call on the government to review their spending allocation and redirect
funds to the Greenway.”

The contract for the Light Rail Extension was awarded to John Holland in May and the project is on track to begin construction later this month.
EcoTransit’s video, entitled The Great Rail Infrastructure Rip Off, is available on YouTube.

By Elizabeth Jarrett