NSW Premier Nathan Rees is expected to dump the $12 billion Sydney North-West Metro rail project today, bringing the curtain down on one of the most misconceived policy proposals of Morris Iemma’s embarrassing administration.
No one in the government, the private sector or the community denies that a rail link is desperately needed for the burgeoning suburbs of the north-west.
The original plan — the best plan — was for a heavy rail link which would stand the test of time and provide a safe, dependable service.
But when Iemma inherited the scheme in mid-2005, he also inherited Michael Costa as his treasurer. Costa quickly formed an alliance with the fiercely conservative Treasury chief John Pierce and they subverted the heavy rail plan as being “unaffordable”.
Iemma switched tactic. With the backing of Infrastucture czar David Richmond he unveiled the Metro in March this year — to help shore up the seat of Ryde, then held by Transport Minister and Deputy Premier John Watkins, and also deliver a significant piece of infrastructure to crown his premiership.
Regrettably, the announcement never really gripped the public imagination: few people believed it would ever be started let alone finished.
It was just another Labor promise which never see the light of day. Their skepticism was supported by the publication of massive Metro advertisements carrying the endorsement of commercial radio traffic reporter Vic Larusso.
In place of the North-West Metro, Sydney is now getting a CBD Metro which will go as far as inner-city Rozelle. Its terminus will be Central, the busiest station in NSW, creating a nightmarish scrum for commuters.
Some of Labor’s other rail projects which have come to nothing in the past 13 years include the Bondi Beach rail link promised in 1998; the high-speed rail link to Newcastle and the Central Coast; the Hurstville to Strathfield rail link; the high-speed rail line from Sutherland to Wollongong; the Parramatta to Epping rail link was axed; and the central business district rail link and the second harbour crossing also have been dumped.
Platform announcement: the train standing on platform 1 is the Labor Government special service to electoral oblivion. It will be leaving at the state election in March 2011.
i live in the north west of Sydney, fortunately close enough to the Richmond line so that I can catch trains. The North West metro was always a silly idea. It’s bad enough having to change trains without having to change modes of transport, in fact, I have spent longer waiting for a connecting train than it takes me to drive to work.
I don’t think either side of NSW politics can cover themselves in glory over Sydney trains, remember Barry O’Farrell was secretary to the then transport minister when the restrictive M2 agreement was drawn up.
The Parramatta-Chatswood link was a really good idea, giving trains from the west another way to the city, and giving an alternative to the M2 carpark. Unfortunately, Dr Evil cancelled the Parramatta-Epping part of the link, partly to appease those who wanted to protect Parramatta Park. This part of Parramatta park is a paddock. Parramatta station has been redeveloped minus the necessary platforms. Another group prevented the Epping-Chatswood part of the link using a bridge over the Lane Cove river to protect an overgrown tennis court. Result? 2 stations not being built and track too steep for most trains to climb. What are we getting? OSCAR interurban trains running a shuttle Chatswood -Epping. Its like running Greyhound buses from Circular Quay to Central.
Mmm, John M, you quite know your stuff by the reading. I know about the 2 stations and bridge at Lane Cove River. Tennis court, ouch!
Reaching back to the M2 signing (upon which construction site I was arrested for peaceful protests around 1996) is excellent stuff. Do comment more often!