More than 70 businesses and community organisations have banded together to endorse Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 and encourage the NSW Government to commit to the funding and delivery of the project by 2025.
In a letter to the NSW Premier and Transport Minister, the organisations including the Western Sydney Business Chamber, City of Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Business Association, Committee for Sydney, Property Council of Australia, Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, Tourism & Transport Forum, Western Sydney Business Connection and the NSW Business Chamber have called for the final business case of stage 2 of the light rail project to be released and for the NSW Government to commit to funding the project.
Western Sydney Business Chamber Executive Director David Borger said it was vital work started on the next stage of the Parramatta Light Rail project, linking Westmead and Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park.
"This project will be of massive benefit to Western Sydney and we are actively encouraging the NSW Government to get cracking on Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 as a priority of transport policy," Mr Borger said.
"The Greater Sydney Commission and the NSW Government talk about the goal of creating a '30 minute city' – Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 together with Sydney Metro West will help deliver that vision.
"Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 will connect a range of socio-economically diverse communities through to Rydalmere, Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point with mass transit for the first time.
"We already know there is widespread support for Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 and we urge the Government to get on with it and make it happen," he said.
A Western Sydney Business Chamber and Sydney Olympic Park Business Association survey of residents in the region revealed 75 per cent of local residents supported the commitment to a final route and start date for Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 – a similar level of support for Sydney Metro West (77 per cent). Close to 70 per cent of Greater Sydney residents also supported the project.
"Now is not the time to be complacent, this project needs to be delivered as soon as possible and sooner than the Metro West project. Both of these important infrastructure projects will complement each other and connect communities and businesses like never before," Mr Borger said.
