Parramatta Light Rail has reached the next major milestone with the release of the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to allow for community and stakeholder feedback.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Andrew Constance, said the Parramatta Light Rail will transform Sydney’s second CBD, with reliable and modern public transport offering 16 stops that will link major health, education and entertainment precincts in the region.
“Parramatta Light Rail will revolutionise the way people move around the region, and create more local jobs, and improve the access to major health and sporting destinations,” Mr Constance said.
The Parramatta Light Rail highlights include:
- Services approximately every 7.5 minutes between 7am and 7pm, and every 15 minutes outside the all-day peak
- 16 fully accessible stops linking major health, education, cultural and entertainment hubs across the region
- Creation of two light rail pedestrian zones within the Parramatta CBD
- A cycling and pedestrian link from Parramatta to Carlingford, providing a complete off road connection
- Access to light rail for an estimated 130,000 people within walking distance of the stops, increasing to 180,000 by 2041 – more than half the area’s total population.
- Cutting congestion on Parramatta Road by removing the train level crossing
“We have seen on other large-scale infrastructure projects, such as Sydney Metro Northwest, that positive improvements can be made as a result of submissions to the EIS process, so your feedback can really make a difference.”
The NSW Government has also applied for Parramatta Light Rail to be considered as Critical State Significant Infrastructure. This will be assessed at the same time as the EIS.
Construction on stage one is expected to start in 2018, with light rail to begin operating in 2023.
Planning work for stage two of the project is being developed in collaboration with Sydney Metro West and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
