Article: Premier Barry O'Farrell promises light rail revolution

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Premier Barry O'Farrell promises light rail revolution

Premier Barry O'Farrell promises light rail revolution

    Andrew Clennell
    From: The Daily Telegraph
    July 09, 2011 12:00AM

BARRY O'Farrell has committed to making a start on a light rail line through the city to the sporting grounds at Randwick and Fox Studios in this term of government.

In an interview to mark 100 days in the job, the Premier says a feasibility study into the line will be done within 12 months and "we will see light rail built in this city".

"A commencement [will be] made on new light rail tracks in this city before the next election," he said.

Mr O'Farrell said Barangaroo could not survive without light rail and he wanted work begun on routes to University of Sydney and UNSW before the 2015 election.

His vow came after Infrastructure NSW board member Max Moore-Wilton last week told the Premier to end the debate and just get on with the light rail project, which would serve the SCG, SFS and Randwick Racecourse.

But Mr O'Farrell said he would not be rushed, saying former premier Nathan Rees' $500 million CBD Metro was a classic example of a bad decision made quickly and he wanted proper studies done.

"Barangaroo clearly needs light rail to make it work. We've got two routes that will be subject to feasibility studies, the University of Sydney and all the way out to UNSW, past the entertainment quarter," Mr O'Farrell said.

"I well remember when Bob Carr opened the existing light rail system initiated by the former Liberal government and described it as the start of renaissance of light rail across Sydney. For the next 12 years not a jot was done. (It was) opposed by the RTA, opposed by the department of transport and as [Transport Minister] Gladys [Berejiklian] and I have said, we intend to end that."

He acknowledged there would be difficulties running the lines through the city, but was prepared to wear that.

The project has been costed at more than $1 billion.

As the state government looks at ways to raise money for infrastructure, Mr O'Farrell again did not rule out leasing the state-owned electricity poles and wires.

But he said claims NSW needed a new baseload power station - pushed relentlessly by former premier Morris Iemma last term as a reason the electricity industry should be sold - were wrong.

He said power companies had told him when he was in opposition that the next baseload power station serving NSW would probably be built in southeast Queensland and it was a "national electricity market".

He said the biggest challenge was "getting the state's finances under control" and "infrastructure". His light rail promise follows pledges to start work on the North West Rail Link and either the M4 East or M5 duplication before the 2015 election.

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