Proposed high speed rail link must connect the west – it’s now or never

A growing alliance of government and industry leaders is calling for a connection to Parramatta and the new Western Sydney International Airport to be a must for a proposed high speed rail line along the east coast.

The federal High Speed Rail Authority is due to present a business case for investment in stage one of a high speed rail link from Newcastle to Sydney by the end of the year and has suggested the key Sydney interchange will be Central Station. The authority has indicated stops in Parramatta and the new airport may be considered as part of a later stage.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said Central Station was no longer central to Sydney’s growing population.

“It’s madness to build infrastructure of the future around an incredibly outdated view of where Greater Sydney lives and where the jobs of tomorrow are being created,” Cr Zaiter said.

“If all levels of government are serious about amplifying Sydney’s presence to that of a New York or London, they need to be thinking beyond the eastern CBD. Global cities are connected north to south and east to west - and unless Sydney is too, we’ll never reach that status. 

“High speed rail has the potential to turbocharge the economic growth of Western Sydney and link millions of visitors a year landing at the new airport to the heart of Greater Sydney and beyond – but only if we are part of the plan from day one.

“We cannot be fobbed off with the promise of being a part of a later stage of high speed rail that may never eventuate. We know for Parramatta and the rest of Western Sydney it’s now or never.”

Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue CEO, Adam Leto, warned that the Federal Government couldn’t afford to be short-sighted when it comes to planning for high-speed rail.

“The Federal Government is faced with a golden opportunity to not only re-write high-speed rail’s failed history in this country, but also show that it is forward-thinking and in-tune with how our city is growing,” Mr Leto said.

“Parramatta is the geographical heart of Sydney and at the centre of a region which will house the majority of the city’s population over the coming decades. But we need to plan for that future now.

“If we miss out on this opportunity to get the planning and alignment right, we might not get another shot.”

Western Sydney University’s Director for Partnerships and Advocacy, Tom Nance, said Parramatta’s inclusion in stage one of the high speed rail project is of primary importance. 

“High speed rail needs to serve the whole of Sydney, not just the east. Due to its geographic and strategic location, Parramatta must be the priority, not an afterthought,” Mr Nance said.

“If the government does not recognise this, it will not just be another slap in the face to the residents of Western Sydney, it will be a wasteful own goal at a time when voters are crying out for infrastructure that unlocks connectivity and economic opportunity.”

The Property Council of Australia's Western Sydney Regional Director Ross Grove backed calls for Parramatta to be considered in the coming business case for high-speed rail.

"Parramatta is an unambiguously pro-growth city, so it is an obvious contender for growth infrastructure like high-speed rail," Mr Grove said. "The leadership at Council has a decades-long track record of positioning the city as a destination for capital and investment - a critical ingredient in making a project of this magnitude come even close to staking up.

"If we're serious about high-speed rail, we'll need partners across all levels of government who are serious about making it happen. Western Sydney deserves to feature in any future rail plan and the city's commercial prominence, pro-growth orientation, and track record of delivery position it well to make the most of a once-in-a-century investment."