We need more time for Metro Southwest: Canterbury Bankstown Council
CANTERBURY Bankstown Council wants the state government to extend the community consultation for the controversial Sydenham to Bankstown Metro upgrade for another four weeks.
The Express
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CANTERBURY Bankstown Council wants the state government to extend the community consultation for the controversial Sydenham to Bankstown Metro upgrade for another four weeks.
The government’s revised proposal is a Critical State Significant Infrastructure and includes retention, refurbishment, and repurposing of existing station buildings and entrances, platform re-levelling, and accessibility upgrades where required.
It covers the upgrading of stations at Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown into metro rail operations.
The Department of Planning and Environment said the community can comment on this during the exhibition period until Wednesday, July 18.
However, the council has been given a further extension until July 27.
Mayor Khal Asfour in his Mayoral Minute during the recent council meeting, requested that Sydney Metro hold a further four community information sessions across the Canterbury Bankstown LGA, in particular in the southern and western suburbs of the city.
“While Council has been given an extension of time till July 27, the same hasn’t been afforded to the general community which is just typical of the NSW Government, particularly when it comes to the big issues impacting thousands of people,” Cr Asfour told the Express.
“I am also still awaiting a reply from the (Transport) Minister (Andrew Constance) for a meeting on the matter.”
The existing track along the alignment between west of Sydenham station and west of Bankstown station will be retained, except for track in the immediate vicinity of Bankstown and a proposed crossover at Campsie.
Meanwhile, Canterbury’s former deputy mayor Barbara Coorey asked why Dr Andy Marks, the assistant Vice-Chancellor of WSU, has waded into the Metro Southwest debate at this late stage.
In last week’s Express, Dr Marks said: “It is vital Labor reverse its opposition to the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro link,” in response to Labor leader Luke Foley’s decision to scrap the Metro, if they are elected next year.
“You cannot back connections to jobs in one part of western Sydney while abandoning them elsewhere — the logic doesn’t stack up.”
THE NEW METRO STATION
Ms Coorey said: “I cannot recall seeing any submission by the UWS regarding the EIS for the Metro in 2017.
“I do not understand as to what it is that Mr Marks has an interest in.
“His comments place him at loggerheads with students who attend the University of Sydney who will lose their direct link to Redfern as a result of the SW Metro.
“Does Mr Marks understand that 100,000 commuters per day from the T3 Bankstown line will be placed on buses during the conversion and construction phase of the Metro SW?
“The conversion of our public heavy rail T3 Bankstown line is just an excuse to rezone vast chunks of street after street of single dwelling homes in the suburbs of Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore and Lakemba to high rise apartments ranging from four to 25 storeys.”