NORTH WEST RAIL FAIL – NO DIRECT TRAINS TO CBD

The Transport Minister must come clean on how many North West Rail Link passengers will be left stranded on station platforms - following reports no trains will travel on the multibillion dollar rail line directly to the city.

"The O'Farrell Government is going to build a multibillion dollar rail link that will dump commuters on the North Shore before they even hit the city," Shadow Transport Minister Penny Sharpe said.

"Under the O'Farrell Government, the North West Rail Link will essentially be a shuttle service between Rouse Hill and Chatswood - forcing passengers to get off at the already congested Chatswood Station and wait for a service into the city.

"There will be tens of thousands of extra passengers at Chatswood Station in the morning and afternoon peaks trying to get to the city - but only two extra train services across the Harbour Bridge to accommodate them all.

"This will be a transport nightmare for North West and North Sydney passengers and will leave thousands of people stranded on station platforms because they can't fit into train carriages.

"While the Transport Minister has been talking up the North West Rail Link, she has conveniently failed to mention no trains will run directly to the central business district.  

"Building the North West Rail Link alone will make rail congestion worse - the Government needs to build new stations or platforms at the same time so more trains can actually make it across the Harbour Bridge.

"Scrapping the CBD Relief Line and introducing the North West and South West Rail Links will only exacerbate congestion at CBD stations.

"There is no point plugging new rail links into our congested rail network without providing extra capacity at the locations commuters are trying to get to.

"Advice from experts clearly shows that in order to introduce trains from the North West, cuts to services will be required on other lines - or the North West Rail Link will be rendered useless because so few trains are actually able to run on the line.

"Building the North West Rail Link without the City Relief Line or an additional harbour crossing will mean no passengers can actually travel from the North West directly into the CBD.

"The O'Farrell Government's plan will fail the commuters of NSW - the Government hasn't addressed congestion issues and hasn't set aside the money to do so in the future."