Leaked memo reveals privatisation plan for North West Rail Link
The Hills Transport Working Group today issued a ‘please explain’ to the NSW Minister for Transport, Ms Gladys Berejiklian, after a leaked internal memo from Mr. Rob Mason the CEO of RailCorp reveals that “a private sector entity will design, construct, commission, operate and maintain the North West rail link including rail and tunnel systems, track, structures and stations for a period of 20 to 30 years” under an “access model”.
Mr. James Fiander, Hills Transport Working Group Chair, said today “The Minister is on record committing the North West Rail Link would not be a privately operated line in the same way as the Sydney Airport Link, operated under an access model, and we believe – if true – this is a betrayal of the residents, commuters and businesses of North Western Sydney.
“The North West Rail Link is a priority-one piece of infrastructure. Using a fee for access model on the line as indicated in Mr Mason’s memo will raise the barrier of entry and would be a disastrous outcome for commuters.
“Residents of North Western Sydney will not accept paying more for a service identical to any other suburban rail line.
“Having a private operator involved in this project, operating under an access model in the same way as the failed Sydney Airport Link is completely unacceptable for the 300,000 residents of North Western Sydney.”
The Hills Transport Working Group has previously warned that an airport link-style private operator and station access model on the North West Rail Link could see North West residents paying as much as $20 extra per trip.
“It seems the O’Farrell Liberal Government is on track to make the same mistakes on the North West Rail Link as the Greiner Government made in the early 1990s on the Hills M2 Motorway.” Mr. Fiander said.
“North West residents currently pay in-excess of $26 per day for the privilege of travelling to work by car with no other choice.”
Hills residents demand that Ms Berejiklian and Mr. O’Farrell repudiate Mr. Mason’s statement and reconfirm their commitment to deliver this desperately needed rail infrastructure for North Western Sydney without any additional fees for access – as they both promised during their election campaign.
For further comment or a photo opportunity, please contact:
James Fiander – Chair, Hills Transport Working Group
M: 0421 222 481 - E: james@myhillstransport.com