Re: NSW govt supports Chatswood to Parramatta line

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

brendan@mpce.mq.edu.au (Brendan Jones) writes:

>Four months ago I defended Carl Scully from accusations he was wanting
>to "pavement" all of Sydney and was ridiculed.  I said then and say again
>now I believe he is NSW's best transport minister in the past 20 years,
>if not longer.  Looks like I was right.

>And I still predict that an announcement regarding extension of the light
>rail line to Lilyfield will be made before the end of this year.

 Unless he changes his mind about trams in the CBD, that project is dead.
SLR wont expand to Lilyfield if they dont get CBD access, as why would any
one bother to get the tram into town if they have to change to train or bus
at Central ?. They might as well get a bus direct to the retail/business
core.

 Unless of course the government payes SLR to build an uneconmic extension
as an election ploy. (The contruction lead time for the new line would
pretty well have it well underway by election time, even if it would be
a big white elephant when finished.)

 The STA will probably also move into the area with the Designline diesel
electric busses, promoting 'clean electric travel' against the SLR's
'clean electric travel'. The average punter wont understand the difference
between diesel electric of the bus and pure electric of the tram, they will
belive the 'clean electric transport' banner down the side of the bus.