Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

Mr Kevin Eadie
Advocacy Manager
Action for Public Transport
actionforpublictransport@hotmail.com
10 MAY 2013

Dear Mr Eadie,

Thank you for your email of 15 March 2013 regarding the North West Rail Link (NWRL).

Last year, the NSW Government announced a 20 year Rail Future plan to transform and modernise the rail network so it can grow with our population and meet the needs of future customers. The plan will include a second rail crossing under Sydney Harbour and a CBD rail line with new single deck, high frequency trains between the North West, Sydney CBD and Bankstown.

This initiative will benefit all customers on all lines by overcoming bottlenecks, increasing the capacity through Sydney's most heavily used transit corridor and simplifying the network's complexity. The requirement to change at Epping and Chatswood stations is a necessary measure until the second harbour crossing is completed.

Most major cities with a population comparable to Sydney have adopted a mix of metro and heavy rail to service the different needs of customers. Single deck trains will provide a significant increase in services between Epping and Chatswood stations to at least 12 trains an hour in the peak, or one train every five minutes.

The NWRL will provide rail access for the first time to the growing North West region, and will cater for the large number of customers travelling to major employment, commercial and education centres between Rouse Hill, Epping and Chatswood.

Thank you for taking the time to write to me.

Yours faithfully,

Gladys Berejiklian MP
Minister for Transport