NORTH WEST RAIL LINK O'FARRELL'S BIGGEST BROKEN PROMISE YET

MEDIA RELEASE | Wednesday, 20 June 2012

John Robertson MP, NSW Opposition Leader
Penny Sharpe MLC, Shadow Minister for Transport

NORTH WEST RAIL LINK O'FARRELL'S BIGGEST BROKEN PROMISE YET

The O'Farrell Government has confirmed today what the people of Sydney's north-west have always feared – there will be no direct services from the North West Rail Link to the Sydney CBD, said Opposition Leader, John Robertson today.
 
"This is the biggest broken promise yet from the O'Farrell Government and the people of north-west Sydney are right to feel betrayed," said Mr Robertson.

"Barry O'Farrell has dudded the people of north-west Sydney with a second-rate train service.

"This is a slap in the face for residents in the north-west who have been promised this rail line for years by Barry O'Farrell – and only now been told, there will be no direct trains to the CBD.

"This means that passengers will be forced to change trains at either Epping or Chatswood stations – where trains are already so overcrowded that passengers are regularly left waiting on the platform.

"The Government's own figures show that trains on the Northern Line at Epping Station are at 150 per cent capacity and trains on the North Shore Line at Chatswood are at 110 per cent capacity.

"These trains are already so crowded that you are lucky if you can find a place to stand – let alone a seat.

"This is a shocking betrayal of the people north west Sydney who helped put Barry O'Farrell into office.

"The O'Farrell Government's own North West Rail Link website promises direct train services from the north-west to the city.
 
"There are no excuses for failing to deliver on the most iconic commitment this Premier has ever made.

"If Barry O'Farrell has any integrity whatsoever he will go back to the drawing board and try again."

Shadow Minister for Transport, Penny Sharpe said the North West Rail Link will be operated by a private company – exposing commuters to higher fares and poorly integrated services.

"Passengers on Sydney's only privately operated rail line – the Airport Link – currently pay $11 more than every other CityRail commuter," said Ms Sharpe.

"With the North West Rail Link to be run by a private company – there is every chance that passengers will be forced to pay higher fares for an inferior service.

"People in Sydney's north west deserve and were promised better."

"We went to the election with a platform of promises and rail privatisation was not one of those policies." – Barry O'Farrell, 13 February 2012, ABC 702 (Adam Spencer's program).

"The North West Rail Link will deliver savings of up to 3½ hours a week in journey times to the Sydney CBD as well as frequent, reliable, direct rail services between the North West and Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and the city." – O'Farrell Government website, http://northwestrail.com.au, as at June 20, 2012

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