Western FastRail: Map

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Western FastRail is a proposed $2 billion privately funded underground and above-ground train line that would link central Sydney

with Western Sydney independent from the CityRail network. Western FastRail is being backed by a consortium led by businessman and former union leader Michael Easson, which includes Dutch bank ABN AMRO and Australian construction company Leighton Holdings. As of 2008 the State Government has ruled out the project due to cost concerns.

History

The project has been prompted by congestion on Sydney's westbound trains and roads, the growing importance of Parramatta

as a business centre, higher petrol prices, public opposition to tolled roads and environmental concerns. An unreleased government document leaked to The Daily Telegraph suggests that such a train would eliminate the need of around 18 million car trips per year, reducing between 34,000 and 45,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions being injected into the atmosphere.

The proposal was first made in April 11, 2002 when Col Gellatly, the state's top civil servant and director-general of the Department of Premier convened a meeting of Treasury secretary, John Pierce, the Transport NSW director-general, Michael Deegan, and the State Rail Authority chief executive, Howard Lacy. Before them consortium leader Michael Easson made a presentation for a privately financed rail line linking Sydney's far west with the city. For a $8 return toll on top of the normal fare, trains travelling at 160 kmh could carry up to 16,000 commuters an hour to the city in 28 minutes, taking 11 minutes from Parramatta to the city. The proposal depended on the construction of two tracks from St Marys

to Penrith

, as well as taking over existing CityRail tracks between St Marys to Westmead

. Costed at $2 billion, it was deemed extraordinarily cheap, and in December 2003 the Government formally rejected the unsolicited proposal.

In March 2005 the proposal was again brought up, and again in December 2006 by then federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd during a visit to Penrith

should the Australian Labor Party win the 2007 Federal Election. The plan has received approving comments by the NSW State Government.

On 18 March, 2008, the NSW State Government announced the SydneyLink project which includes the consideration of a West Metro in the future linking Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, and a future extension through a second harbour crossing to Chatswood

. The Premier Morris Iemma was asked about the Western FastRail proposal, and said that "the proposal on Penrith has got to stack up," and "the work that has been done shows that it does not stack up, for a number of reasons." In September 2007 the proposal was again shown to the government.

On August 25, 2008 the State Government made a public announcement that it had ruled out the project two weeks earlier due to cost concerns, with the head of the consortium saying that the Government has failed to adequately review the proposal. Despite this, State Treasurer Michael Costa has continued to back the project despite the lack of support by the Premier, the Transport Minister and the NSW Co-ordinator-General. Costa describes consortium leader Michael Easson as "a close friend and influence".

Proposed alignment

Concept art for the proposed Western FastRail.

It is proposed that two 26 kilometre underground tunnels will link Sydney (possibly Wynyard station

or a new nearby station to be built as part of MetroPitt) with Parramatta

, with high-speed trains transversing across the distance in eleven minutes at speeds of up to 160 km/h. The line will continue above-ground to Blacktown

in six minutes, and onwards to Penrith

in a further eleven minutes. Currently on existing CityRail lines these journeys take up to three times as long.

There are 10 stations proposed for the Western FastRail: