Coastal Fast Rail Best For Urban Centres Outside Sydney

The NSW Government announcement about a network of fast trains to centres outside Sydney would stimulate growth outside Sydney says the Urban Taskforce.

“The announcement by NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, that the government is looking at a network of fast train routes out of Sydney would lead to growth in regional cities.” Says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson “The most likely areas to be attractive for increased development will be the coastal centres including Nowra, Wollongong, Gosford and Newcastle.”

“Australians are very attracted to coastal living and moves for a fast rail link between Nowra and Newcastle would pick up many urban centres that are potentials for new development. The studies of the cost benefits of key infrastructure must include the greater densities of development in the centres and incentives to ensure that jobs occurred in the regional cities.”

“The NSW study will also look at a fast rail route to Canberra and to Orange but we believe these will be less viable that the coastal routes.”

“The Transport for NSW Long Term Transport Plan raised the potential for fast train links to cities outside Sydney and the proposed new studies should build on the earlier work.”

“With Australian cities growing strongly there has been a clear swing to a more urban living model with apartment buildings. It is this increased density within Sydney and potentially for cities outside Sydney that will underpin investment in faster rail. The Federal Government must be a major contributor to the cost of urban metro rail for Sydney and for intercity fast rail routes.”

“The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the NSW Government on the relationship between fast rail routes and the potential for new urban densities related to these routes.”