Re: Badgerys creek rumblings.

[David Bromage <dbromage@omni.com.au>]

Chris Brownbill wrote:
> 
> On ABC radio "PM" this evening, the talk was of the reason for the deferral of
> the Cabinet decision due today on Badgery's Creek airport being consideration of
> alternatives - including "Extension of Speedrail to Melbourne and possibly
> beyond".
> 
> So what do they mean beyond?  Geelong?  Warrnambool?  Is this a takeover of WCR?

VFT and Speedrail always had Brisbane and Adelaide in mind.

A single line to Melbourne wouldn't be very useful. Too much time would
be lost in crossing. The Sydney - Canberra project is to be single line
from Glenlee to Canberra, but this would be doubled if the line
continued to Melbourne to have double track all the way.

The need for a second airport in Sydney is only "proven" by clever use
of statistics. International services go to Sydney because that's where
the business is, and the business is in Sydney because that's where the
planes go! Melbourne and Brisbane have plenty of spare acpacity, and
Canberra is to start receiving international flights from October 2000.
That could easily put off the need to expand Sydney for another 50 years.

Moving some of the regionals to Bankstown would help Kingsford Smith,
and a rail link between Bankstown airport and the NSR would not be
difficult. It would be easier than getting between airports in London.

Personally I liked the idea of Richmond as Sydney's second airport, but
the Department of Defence wants to sell the site for development.

Cheers
David