Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pledges $100 million for Bennelong transport interchange
MALCOLM Turnbull will today pour $100 million into the Bennelong electorate to build a major transport hub, as the Liberal party fights to hold onto the seat to secure a governing majority.
NSW
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MALCOLM Turnbull will today pour $100 million into the Bennelong electorate to build a major transport hub, as the Liberal Party fights to hold onto the seat to secure a governing majority.
With the race tightening between Labor’s former NSW premier Kristina Keneally and Liberal John Alexander, the Prime Minister will commit the cash to build a new transport interchange at Macquarie Park to fix traffic congestion, ease clogged roads and make it faster to catch a bus, train or get a cab.
Mr Turnbull will today join NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in the midst of the Bennelong by-election campaign to announce funding for the hub, which includes a new bus interchange connecting Macquarie University and the Macquarie Centre.
Construction is slated to begin in 2020, coinciding with the opening of the Sydney Metro rail line to minimise disruption to drivers.
“This interchange is a game-changer for peak-hour commuters who travel to and from Macquarie Park every day. It will provide faster, safer and easier transitions between various transport options, ’’ Mr Turnbull said.
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“We are delivering the transport infrastructure to ensure Sydney residents spend more time at home with their family and less time commuting.’’
Mr Turnbull, Ms Berejiklian and NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance have been discussing the infrastructure project for several months, but the federal government signed off on the funding last week, with Mr Alexander’s campaign probably acting as an additional incentive.
Polling commissioned by The Daily Telegraph at the start of the Bennelong campaign showed Mr Alexander was just three percentage points ahead of Ms Keneally, with the pair tied 50-50 on a two-party-preferred basis.
With federal Parliament cancelled this week, Mr Turnbull is expected to make multiple visits to Bennelong to try to help win the seat, which is absolutely crucial for his government to hold.
The Commonwealth has agreed to provide the majority of the $100 million funding, but the NSW government, which has been developing a strategic business case for Macquarie Park, will also contribute.
Macquarie Park is the largest transport hub in Sydney outside of the CBD, with 20,000 commuters passing through it each day.
Transport and commute times are a major issue affecting Bennelong residents, with traffic chaos and road delays around the Macquarie interchange an ongoing problem.
Ms Berejiklian said Macquarie Park had become a critical driver of economic growth in NSW.
“This funding will allow us to not only fast-track the project, but also choose a design with the best outcomes for urban amenity,” she said.
Big field of candidates for Bennelong
Mr Alexander said “this interchange is a huge win for the people of Bennelong”.
“It will reduce congestion on our local roads and make it easier for commuters to travel from A to B,” the tennis great said.
A business case is yet to determine the final design, but artist’s impressions show a picture of the area if part of the interchange was moved underground to ease traffic on roads.