Epping. $2.3 billion rail link opens

The first scheduled train along the $2.3 billion rail link will occur this weekend, providing a shuttle service between Epping and Chatswood. Ryde Mayor, Vic Tagg, said the service, running every 15 minutes, was vital to the long-term sustainable development of the 340-hectare Macquarie Park business precinct, along with Macquarie University and North Ryde. The business park curently has more commercial floor space than in the Parramatta CBD. “If it continues to grow as planned, Macquarie Park will become the fourth-largest business centre in Australia by 2031,” he said. Ryde Business Forum chairman, Andrew Bland, has reservations about the frequency of train services. “If (Macquarie Park) is presenting itself as an aternative to the the (Sydney CBD) and Parramatta, it needs more than train stations … services need to be more frequent enough so people will take up the option. If they are witing 10 or 15 minutes, they’ll question whether it’s really worth it”.