North West. Acquisition of properties

About 60 homes, 30 businesses and two other properties will be compulsorily acquired to allow for construction of the north west rail link. Two-thirds of the $9 billion, 23-kilometre line will be built underground between Bella Vista and Epping. Most of the remainder of the line will be ground level with a four-kilometre elevated ''skytrain'' between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill. Tunnelling is expected to start in 2014, and trains are due to run by 2019.

Region. Land still purchased for NW rail link

NSW Opposition leader, Barry O'Farrell said the NSW Government has continued to buy-up land along the route of the northwest rail corridor despite the project being shelved indefinitely, according to The Sydney Morning Herald which said $141 had been spent million snapping up land for the ghost train corridor. Mt O'Farrell said the disparity between the transport-deprived outer suburbs and the inner west, where a new $5 billion metro currently is being constructed, was incredible.