NEW SOUTH WALES Treasurer Michael Egan announced in a budget speech on April 6 that A$2·5bn is to be spent on ’the biggest-ever overhaul of the Sydney rail network’ over the next six years.
Around A$1bn will be allocated to 15 projects designed to reduce the complexity of the suburban network. Five routes have been designated as ’Rail Clearways’, including the Illawarra and Eastern Suburbs line, the Bankstown line and the Campbelltown Express line. Separation of the existing 14 CityRail routes will bring simpler timetables and more regular and reliable services, Egan promised.
A further A$1·5bn has been allocated for new air-conditioned rolling stock to replace one-third of the present fleet. According to Transport Minister Michael Costa, no new design of rolling stock is planned.
Egan also announced that there would be ’additional support’ of A$300m for NSW passenger rail services in 2004-05.
