Parramatta. Repayment of West Metro grant

The federal Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese, has requested the NSW Government to return the unspent portion of the $91 million grant it provide for the scoping study for the West Metro, from Central to Westmead. The NSW government has advised Mr Albanese it had spent $10.8 million, when it scrapped the CBD Metro. A final figure would be confirmed by the end of March, according to The Sydney Morning Herald

Parramatta. West Metro pushed back

Treasury officials were pushing yesterday (February 17) for work to begin on the Western Metro as late as 2030, despite an original deadline on the CBD Metro to begin mid-year. Cabinet sources say while the Transport Minister, David Campbell, is pushing hard for the go-ahead for the Western Metro as soon as possible, Mr Roozendaal and Treasury are blocking it and are likely to succeed, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. ''It is a constant battle against Treasury,'' said a senior cabinet source.

Region. West Metro in the plans

The West Metro would be built within five years and light rail would be built in the CBD, ccording to the transport blueprint that Kristina Keneally will release this month, government sources say, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. It is understood the $8 billion to $10 billion Western Metro will go from Westmead to Pyrmont. Original plans for a $5.3 billion CBD Metro to Rozelle will be dumped. Money for the West Metro will come from the sale of electricity assets and from increases expected in revenues as the economy recovers, sources said. The executive director of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, Brendan Lyon, backed the West Metro yesterday. The north-west of the city will remain largely neglected in the plan. The government's attitude is that there are not enough marginal Labor seats there and that there is more population in the west to serve first

Region. West Metro expidited

The NSW Government would expedite the $8.1 billion West Metro, senior government sources said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Sources said construction of the CBD Metro line, ending at Pyrmont, not Rozelle would start this year, concurrently with the West Metro. planning approval for the West Metro, an 11-station, 24-kilometre underground line from Westmead and Parramatta to Central station, was believed to be under way. It would be funded out of the Government's $180 billion Transport Blueprint. There would be no federal funding. The Government is expected to finalise an environmental assessment in the first half of this year.

Parramatta. Progress on West Metro

Public exhibition of the environmental assessment of the West Metro, the 24-kilometre, underground rail link between Central and Westmead, could take place in the first quarter of 2010. Construction could commence as early as 2011, subject to future funding decisions. Currently, samples of rock and soil are being be taken from a depth of up to 40 metres below Sydney Olympic Park, as part of investigations for the link, “A total of six drill rigs will bore more than 80 points along the proposed route over the coming months,” a Sydney Metro spokesperson said.

Parramatta. Possible funding for West Metro

Premier, Nathan Rees, has promised that funds raised from the sale of the state's electricity assets will be spent on transport infrastructure, fuelling speculation that the Government will announce funding for the $8 billion Western Metro project before the 2011 election. One senior source said the electricity sale would raise about $6 billion - not enough to build the rail line. Another said the announcement was vague. Alternatives could include funding the $10 billion M4 East or the M5 tunnel duplication.

Parramatta. In principle support for rail link

Parramatta City Council has given in principle support for the $8.3 billion West Metro underground rail link between Central and Westmead. Council’s submission, on the preliminary environmental assessment, includes traffic impact on James Ruse Drive from the proposed park and ride facilities at Camellia station, future strategy for the Carlingford line, and the integration of Parramatta station and Civic Place, under which a metro station is proposed.

Parramatta. $8.3 billion to save three minutes

A preliminary environmental assessment report for the planned West Metro underground line, lodged with the Planning Department, states it will cost $8.3 billion, take five years to build and will improve travel times from Sydney's west by just three minutes. The 24km twin-tunnel metro will run from the CBD to Westmead. The project is in its infancy with $91 million in Federal Government money for pre-construction, engineering and design work. If the Government receives more funding or private investment, construction is due to start in 2011 with trains running by 2017. “With the State Government's track record - $13 billion worth of rail projects in the northwest and southwest scrapped in the past year - sceptics say this will be another project not to see the light of day,” The Daily Telegraph said. The Parramatta Advertiser headlined an editorial: Dont get too exicted about link.

Parramatta. Consultation on West Metro

Minister for Transport, David Campbell, said community consultation would now get underway for the West Metro project, a 24-kilometre underground rail link between Central and Westmead. “We will now start talking to the community, councils, businesses and other stakeholders about station locations, construction sites and the detailed corridor. The Environmental Assessment will be put on public exhibition for community comment next year.” Mr Campbell said

Parramatta. West Metro rail link

Private engineering firm, Aurecon, is part of consortiums bidding for the work on the proposed West Metro underground rail project from Central to Westmead, but after rail cancellations by the NSW Government, including the $12 billion, north-western metro, CEO, Tony Barry, declined to say whether he was confident the West Metro would eventuate, according to The Australian Financial Review. He believes a need exists for the link.

Parramatta. Prefered route for West Metro link

The NSW Government has announced its preferred route and stations for Sydney's West Metro project. The 24-kilometre rail link would have 11 stops, including Westmead, Parramatta, Burwood, Sydney Olympic Park, Leichhardt and Sydney University. Transport Minister, David Campbell, said $30 million of NSW and federal money was spent on deciding the route and another $91 million in federal funds would be spent on detailed plans, "Construction money for the Western Metro at this stage is not available. We'll continue to work with the Commonwealth to seek that money," Mr Campbell said.

Parramatta. Tender for West Metro

The NSW Government has called for tenders from environmental and planning consultancies to undertake an environemtal assessment on the proposed West Metro rail project from Central Station to Westmead. The Federal Government has allocated $91 million for detailed design work on the high-speed rail project project.