Rail work to start in our first term, O'Farrell says

Labor is promising to only begin work by 2017 on the north-west line. And it says it will finish the south-west link by 2016, with uncertainty surrounding the midyear construction start, putting the completion date in doubt.

''Our commitment is to start work in our first term,'' the opposition leader, Barry O'Farrell, said yesterday.

Under the government's Metropolitan Transport Plan, released at the weekend, no construction work on any of the projects outlined will start soon.

Construction of the $6.7 billion north-west rail link from Epping to Rouse Hill will not begin until 2017, with the first passengers expected to be carried in 2024. The project was originally announced in 1998 but has been deferred at least four times.

The south-west rail link is not expected to be ready until 2016, although no start date has been confirmed. It was shelved most recently in the November 2008 mini-budget.

Construction of a tunnel between Eveleigh and Wynyard will not start until 2015.

The Premier, Kristina Keneally, said construction of platforms at Redfern, Central, Town Hall and Wynyard ''can start mostly likely within the next year to two years'', however she would not give a firm timetable.

''We'll start ordering the 1000 new buses this year; we'll start ordering the new train carriages this year; we will start the planning approval process for the city relief line and the western express,'' Ms Keneally said.

Source: www.smh.com.au/nsw/rail-work-to-start-in-our-first-term-ofarrell-says-20100222-orra.html