ANNOUNCEMENT OF AIRPORT AND FAST RAIL PLANS - FANCIFUL BY THE IEMMA GOVERNMENT
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said that today’s announcement by the Iemma Government that an international airport should be built at Newcastle with a fast train link to Sydney is fanciful.
“Long term planning for Sydney’s airport needs has always been essential. Sabotaging of Badgery’s Creek - a site already acquired for that purpose - by permitting residential usage in close proximity has meant that other sites now need to be identified,” Mr Ruddock said.
“Proposals that identify sites north of Sydney fail to recognise the existing transport isolation determined in part by geography, but in the main by deprivation of investment in critical infrastructure.
“The M5, the M4 and the M4 Botany Road link appear to be have been chosen in haste for infrastructure expenditure merely because they serve Labor electorates.
“Little is heard of the needs for the Central Coast and north - either by rail or road.
“Existing rail links on the main north line fail to serve both freight and passenger needs. Longstanding plans for the quadruplication of the northern line need to be dusted off.
“The F3 road link inadequately serves the central coast and north now.
“Likewise the Pennant Hills Road and the F3 link have been abandoned by Labor in terms of substantial funding commitment.
“Further there is no suggestion that state or federal planning envisages the construction of a genuine orbital road as an extension to the M7.
“It is simply ‘pie in the sky’ talk of substantial capital investment in airport proposals when the critical infrastructure needs north of Sydney have been ignored and now abandoned by Labor governments state and federal,” Philip Ruddock said.