Transport NSW Community Update July 2010 - Western Express Rail Programme

Community Update July 2010

WESTERN EXPRESS RAIL PROGRAM

Transport NSW welcomes ongoing discussions with residents about the Western Express Rail Project, announced as part of the NSW Government’s Metropolitan Transport Plan.

The Project Team understands the level of community interest and uncertainty, and is moving as quickly as possible to provide more information about the project.

That’s why senior representatives of Transport NSW and the Project Team met with a small group of local residents on Wednesday, 23 June, and listened to their concerns.

The Project Team’s first priority is to identify a route alignment that minimises the impact on private property and maximises the use of publicly owned land.

No decisions have yet been made in relation to the final alignment or property requirements in the Eveleigh area.

Previous studies conducted on behalf of RailCorp in relation to potential alignments around Eveleigh have been superseded by the current studies.

Detailed design and alignment investigations, as well as heritage and land use studies, now need to be conducted. As a result, the Project Team is expected to be able to identify land requirements by the end of the fourth quarter of 2010.

An indicative project timeline (see overleaf) was circulated during the recent meeting with residents.

The Project Team will continue to provide further advice to the local community as more information becomes available.

Introducing Katherine Martin, Place Manager

Katherine Martin has joined the Western Express Project Team as Place Manager for the Newtown and Eveleigh areas.

Katherine will provide a direct, single point of contact for members of the community for questions about the work being undertaken by the Project Team.

You can contact Katherine by telephoning her on 8238 2700 or emailing her at katherine.martin@transport.nsw.gov.au

About the Western Express Program

Sydney’s transport system must grow and improve to meet the challenges of an increasing population and more jobs.

To meet this challenge, the NSW Government is working to deliver faster and more frequent rail services for Western and North Western Sydney and to increase the overall capacity of the CityRail network through the Western Express Program.

The Western Express Program was announced as part of the Metropolitan Transport Plan in February, 2010.

A Project Team has now been established within the Infrastructure Division of Transport NSW to begin detailed assessment and design.

Western Express represents a next generation of CityRail services and builds on previous transport infrastructure investments.

The Western Express project will enable express train services to run to the CBD from Penrith and Richmond. It includes a proposal to construct a new underground rail line from Eveleigh to Wynyard, including four new stations.

The separation of outer and inner western services onto dedicated tracks will allow faster and more frequent services to operate on the Western Express, as well as on the rest of the Sydney rail network.

The project will require detailed Preliminary Environmental Assessment and Environmental Assessment studies which will be independently assessed by Planning NSW.

The community is welcome to provide comments or feedback about the project at any time.

WESTERN EXPRESS RAIL PROJECT PROGRAM

• July 2010
• Project Overview Report - Preferred alignment * 4th quarter 2010
• Preliminary Environmental Assessment Mid 2011
• Environmental Assessment Mid 2012  
• Department of Planning Determination
• Construction starts Late 2012

*This report will deal with the entire project from the City to Penrith/Richmond.

The project team is working on the alignment in the Eveleigh area as a priority.

Source: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/rail/western-express-city-relief-line.html  Community Update July 2010 - PDF