Stage one of the Parramatta light rail given planning approval
Construction could begin, on the much discussed Parramatta light rail, in a matter of months. The project has been given planning approval pushing it into the construction phase.
Parramatta
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The $1 billion Parramatta light rail project has now received planning approval; allowing for construction on the route to begin.
NSW Liberal Transport minister Andrew Constance made the announcement today with Premier Gladys Berejiklian at Prince Alfred Square in Parramatta, but couldn’t confirm when or where construction will take place.
“There’s going to be separate construction zones,” Mr Constance said.
“It’s a big project. They won’t build for 12km in one hit … we have a challenge with the CBD and we need to just get on with it.
“We will do it in a way that we’re talking months not years (of construction).
“We will be signing major civil works contracts at the end of the year and that’s when we’ll be able to see construction
The first stage of the 12km twin track will link the booming Westmead health precinct and Carlingford through Parramatta and carry up to 300 passengers between 5am and 1am seven days a week when it opens in 2023.
Mr Constance said approval of stage one means construction on the project is on track to begin by the end of 2018.
Stage one of Parramatta light rail will link Westmead to Carlingford via Parramatta CBD and Camellia, connecting key destinations including the Westmead precinct, the new Western Sydney Stadium, the new Powerhouse Museum and three Western Sydney University campuses as well as at Camellia and Telopea.
Ms Berejiklian and Mr Constance were quick to point out the failings of Spanish contractor Acciana in the city’s light rail project; vowing that the mistakes won’t be repeated on Church St.
“The people who let us down, ultimately was Acciona, we’re not interested in lobbyists, or political games, just get in there and get the job done,” Mr Constance said.
“All major projects are complex,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“What I’m most excited about is what’s at the end of the tunnel, and achieving that on time and on budget.”
Acciona recently announced they would be suing the state government for misleading the subcontractor before signing up for the billion dollar project, seeking $1.1 billion claiming they were induced to build the CBD rail under a “false premise”.
Church St businesses have also questioned the light rail decision, with many concerned about the disruption to business.
The government has allocated $1 billion to stage one of the project and the final cost will be known and released when contacts are signed.
A final business case for a planned stage two, which connects the Parramatta CBD to Ermington, Melrose Park, Wentworth Point and Sydney Olympic Park, is also due to be completed by the end of 2018.
