Western FastRail
Encyclopedia
Western FastRail is a proposed $2 billion privately funded underground and above-ground train line that would link central Sydney
with Western Sydney independent from the CityRail
network. Western FastRail is being backed by a consortium led by businessman and former union leader Michael Easson
, which includes Dutch bank ABN AMRO
and Australian construction company Leighton Holdings
. As of 2008 the State Government has ruled out the project due to cost concerns.
as a business centre, higher petrol prices, public opposition to tolled roads and environmental concerns. An unreleased government document leaked to The Daily Telegraph
suggests that such a train would eliminate the need of around 18 million car trips per year, reducing between 34,000 and 45,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
being put into the atmosphere.
The proposal was first made on 11 April 2002 when Col Gellatly, the state's top civil servant
and director-general of the Department of Premier convened a meeting of Treasury secretary, John Pierce, the Transport NSW director-general, Michael Deegan, and the State Rail Authority chief executive, Howard Lacy. Before them consortium leader Michael Easson made a presentation for a privately financed rail line linking Sydney's far west with the city. For a $8 return toll on top of the normal fare, trains travelling at 160 km/h could carry up to 16,000 commuters an hour to the city in 28 minutes, taking 11 minutes from Parramatta to the city. The proposal depended on the construction of two tracks from St Marys
to Penrith
, as well as taking over existing CityRail tracks between St Marys to Westmead. Costed at $2 billion, it was deemed extraordinarily cheap, and in December 2003 the Government formally rejected the unsolicited proposal.
In March 2005 the proposal was again brought up, and again in December 2006 by then federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd
during a visit to Penrith
should the Australian Labor Party
win the 2007 Federal Election. The plan has received approving comments by the NSW State Government. In September 2007 the proposal was again shown to the NSW Government.
On 18 March 2008, the NSW State Government
announced the SydneyLink project which included the construction of a West Metro
in the future linking Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. The Premier Morris Iemma was asked about the Western FastRail proposal, and said that "the proposal on Penrith has got to stack up," and "the work that has been done shows that it does not stack up, for a number of reasons." On 25 August, the State Government made a public announcement that it had ruled out the project two weeks earlier due to cost concerns, with the head of the consortium saying that the Government has failed to adequately review the proposal.
In April 2010 the West Metro was cancelled and the CBD Relief Line
and Western Express were announced. These are similar to the Western FastRail proposal, but only include a new tunnel under the CBD, whereas the Western FastRail includes a tunnel all the way to Parramatta.
It is proposed that two 26 km underground tunnels will link Sydney (possibly Wynyard station
or a new nearby station to be built as part of MetroPitt) with Parramatta, with high-speed trains transversing across the distance in eleven minutes at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The line will continue above-ground to Blacktown in six minutes, and onwards to Penrith
in a further eleven minutes. Currently on existing CityRail
lines these journeys take up to three times as long.
There are 10 stations proposed for the Western FastRail:
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
with Western Sydney independent from the CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
network. Western FastRail is being backed by a consortium led by businessman and former union leader Michael Easson
Michael Easson
Michael Bernard Easson AM , is an Australian businessman and former union leader.Easson graduated with First Class Honours in Politics from the University of New South Wales in 1976 and completed management and finance programmes at Harvard and Stanford Business School University Business Schools...
, which includes Dutch bank ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...
and Australian construction company Leighton Holdings
Leighton Holdings
Leighton Holdings is Australia's largest project development and contracting group. It is active in the telecommunications, engineering and infrastructure, building and property, mining and resources, and environmental services industries...
. As of 2008 the State Government has ruled out the project due to cost concerns.
History
The project has been prompted by congestion on Sydney's westbound trains and roads, the growing importance of ParramattaParramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
as a business centre, higher petrol prices, public opposition to tolled roads and environmental concerns. An unreleased government document leaked to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
suggests that such a train would eliminate the need of around 18 million car trips per year, reducing between 34,000 and 45,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
being put into the atmosphere.
The proposal was first made on 11 April 2002 when Col Gellatly, the state's top civil servant
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
and director-general of the Department of Premier convened a meeting of Treasury secretary, John Pierce, the Transport NSW director-general, Michael Deegan, and the State Rail Authority chief executive, Howard Lacy. Before them consortium leader Michael Easson made a presentation for a privately financed rail line linking Sydney's far west with the city. For a $8 return toll on top of the normal fare, trains travelling at 160 km/h could carry up to 16,000 commuters an hour to the city in 28 minutes, taking 11 minutes from Parramatta to the city. The proposal depended on the construction of two tracks from St Marys
St Marys railway station
St. Mary's railway station was a railway station in Ramsey St Mary's, Cambridgeshire which is now closed.-Route:-External links:* * on Subterranea Britannica...
to Penrith
Penrith railway station, Sydney
Penrith railway station is a railway station on the CityRail network in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the Sydney suburb of Penrith, the station serves as a major interchange between Western line, Blue Mountains line trains. Western-bound CountryLink XPT and Xplorer services also stop here...
, as well as taking over existing CityRail tracks between St Marys to Westmead. Costed at $2 billion, it was deemed extraordinarily cheap, and in December 2003 the Government formally rejected the unsolicited proposal.
In March 2005 the proposal was again brought up, and again in December 2006 by then federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
during a visit to Penrith
Penrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
should the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
win the 2007 Federal Election. The plan has received approving comments by the NSW State Government. In September 2007 the proposal was again shown to the NSW Government.
On 18 March 2008, the NSW State Government
Government of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
announced the SydneyLink project which included the construction of a West Metro
West Metro
West Metro was a proposed metro line running from the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia to the Sydney CBD. It was to be undertaken by the NSW State Government. The concept was for the metro line to link Parramatta with the Sydney CBD within 25 minutes of travel time...
in the future linking Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. The Premier Morris Iemma was asked about the Western FastRail proposal, and said that "the proposal on Penrith has got to stack up," and "the work that has been done shows that it does not stack up, for a number of reasons." On 25 August, the State Government made a public announcement that it had ruled out the project two weeks earlier due to cost concerns, with the head of the consortium saying that the Government has failed to adequately review the proposal.
In April 2010 the West Metro was cancelled and the CBD Relief Line
CBD Relief Line
The CBD Relief Line was a proposed underground railway line through the Sydney central business district. The line was intended to augment the existing city underground network and ease congestion at some of the city's busiest stations...
and Western Express were announced. These are similar to the Western FastRail proposal, but only include a new tunnel under the CBD, whereas the Western FastRail includes a tunnel all the way to Parramatta.
Proposed alignment
Wynyard railway station, Sydney
Wynyard is a major underground CityRail station in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, 2.05 km from Central. Wynyard averages 108000 passenger movements per day Monday to Friday.-History:The station opened on 28 February 1932...
or a new nearby station to be built as part of MetroPitt) with Parramatta, with high-speed trains transversing across the distance in eleven minutes at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The line will continue above-ground to Blacktown in six minutes, and onwards to Penrith
Penrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
in a further eleven minutes. Currently on existing CityRail
CityRail
CityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
lines these journeys take up to three times as long.
There are 10 stations proposed for the Western FastRail:
- WynyardWynyard railway station, SydneyWynyard is a major underground CityRail station in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, 2.05 km from Central. Wynyard averages 108000 passenger movements per day Monday to Friday.-History:The station opened on 28 February 1932...
- Metro West (new station)
- CentralCentral railway station, SydneyCentral Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
- Olympic Park (possible new station)
- Parramatta
- Seven Hills
- Blacktown
- Mount Druitt
- St MarysSt Marys railway stationSt. Mary's railway station was a railway station in Ramsey St Mary's, Cambridgeshire which is now closed.-Route:-External links:* * on Subterranea Britannica...
- PenrithPenrith railway station, SydneyPenrith railway station is a railway station on the CityRail network in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the Sydney suburb of Penrith, the station serves as a major interchange between Western line, Blue Mountains line trains. Western-bound CountryLink XPT and Xplorer services also stop here...