$14.5 billion boost to roads and transport

Major roads and public transport across NSW will receive $14.5 billion in funding from the NSW 2014-15 budget.

Public transport customers will benefit from a $9 billion investment into services and infrastructure across the State.

Highlights of the 2014-15 NSW Budget for public transport are:

• $1.5 billion this year to build new rail and light rail lines – with $400 million set aside to accelerate light rail for Parramatta and $265 million to start building Sydney’s light rail that connects the city’s CBD and South East.
• $863 million for constructing the $8.3 billion North West Rail Link.
• $7 million for more detailed planning work on the new Sydney Rapid Transit rail network.
• $103 million to finalise construction of the $2.1 billion South West Rail Link and ensure services are ready to start for customers in 2015.
• More than $60 million for the next 12 months to refresh and modernise train stations with an extra $66 million being spent on the Wynyard station upgrade.
• $193 million for new car parking and major access upgrades at stations, wharves and interchanges in the next 12 months.
• $17 million for the new Barangaroo ferry hub’s site investigations and community consultation.
• $1.5 million to procure new ferry vessels for Sydney Harbour.
• $5 million to procure the new $2.8 billion fleet of intercity trains.
• $157 million for the continued rollout of Opal electronic ticketing.
• $633 million over the next 5 years for key public transport and road improvements in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The NSW Government will also invest $5.5 billion in building and maintaining critical road, maritime and freight infrastructure.

Highlights of the 2014-15 NSW Budget for roads are:

• $1.2 billion to continue upgrading the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border.
• $266 million to fast-track planning, land acquisition and preconstruction for Australia’s largest urban motorway project, WestConnex.
• $283.7 million (includes Federal funding of $34.3 million) for the NSW Road Safety Strategy.
• $185 million to continue upgrading the Princes Highway on the South Coast.
• $209 million for road upgrades to support population and economic growth in Western Sydney.
• $113 million to continue upgrading the Great Western Highway (includes Federal funding of $40 million).
• $109 million for road upgrades to support Sydney’s second airport at Badgery’s Creek (includes Federal funding of $89 million).
• $70 million for upgrades to Central Coast roads (includes Federal funding of $6 million).
• $69 million for major road upgrades in country NSW.
• $1.429 billion for state-wide roads maintenance.
• $69 million for cycling and pedestrian infrastructure.
• $43 million for easing Sydney’s congestion by fixing critical pinch points and bottlenecks.
• $26 million to progress planning and preconstruction for future links on the Sydney Motorway Network.
• $16 million to continue the Bells Line of Road improvements.
• $11 million to continue planning and preconstruction for WestConnex.
• $2.2 million for planning and preconstruction for the Queanbeyan Bypass.

Source: News Release NSW Government media release, 18 June 2014

http://www.nsw.gov.au/news/roads-and-transport-boost 

(Image courtesy: Transport NSW)