WHILE commuters continue to sit patiently in heavy traffic dreaming of the North West Rail Link, the government has launched the first of several Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). If that doesn’t move you, consider this nugget of information released last week by NSW Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Barry O’Farrell and Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian – the North West Rail Link will use more steel than the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The first tunnelling work is scheduled to start in 2014, but there are no other timelines publicly available yet. “The release of this EIS is further evidence the NSW Government is getting on with the job of delivering the North West Rail Link,” Mr O’Farrell claimed.
“This is the most important transport project in the country, and we are proceeding full steam ahead with its delivery.”
The first EIS examines major construction work including tunnelling, underground station excavation and major above-ground construction, including the Skytrain. The EIS outlines the impacts of construction on the local community and how they will be managed.
Ms Berejiklian said the North West Rail Link was not only the biggest transport infrastructure project in Sydney since the Harbour Bridge, it was bigger than the bridge.
“More steel will go into the North West Rail Link than was used to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge almost a century ago,” Ms Berejiklian said. “Almost 70,000 tonnes of steel will be used. That’s about 20,000 tonnes more steel than was used in the construction of our famous bridge.
“The economic benefits of the North West Rail Link are immense – the new line will support more than 16,200 jobs during construction and inject about $25 billion into the NSW economy.
“This project is just as important to the families and businesses of the north-west as the construction of the Harbour Bridge was to the
people of the North Shore in the 1920s and 1930s.”
Ms Berejiklian made the EIS announcement at the North West Rail Link Community Information Centre at Castle Hill, together with Londonderry MP Bart Bassett – wrongly referred to as the member for Riverstone in the government press release, a post Kevin Conolly holds – and Coalition MPs from Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, and Hornsby electorates.
Ms Berejiklian said 17 construction sites were planned along the North West Rail Link’s alignment from Epping to Rouse Hill, highlighting the scale of the project.
“We’re building tunnels almost six times longer than the Sydney Harbour Tunnel so we can deliver frequent, reliable and direct rail services to Sydney’s north-west – linking the region to Epping, Macquarie Park, Chatswood, North Sydney and Sydney’s CBD,” the minister said.
As part of the first EIS, the community has the chance to comment on tunnelling, underground railway station excavation as well as construction of the above-ground Skytrain section between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill railway stations.
Ms Berejiklian said the community would be able to get more information about the rail link at eight public sessions across the north west during April and May as part of the EIS exhibition.
None will be held in the Hawkesbury, but they will be open in Epping, Rouse Hill, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook and Baulkham Hills.
“Sessions on specific topics including noise and vibration, construction traffic and construction methods will also be held at the North West Rail Link’s Castle Hill Community Information Centre,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The Environmental Impact Statement is on display for 48 days until Monday, May 21, and public submissions are due by that date.
A second and separate EIS is being prepared for the design of railway stations and the areas around them, operational rail infrastructure and systems like signalling. This second EIS will be released during the second half of this year.
Times and dates for these sessions can be found at the North West Rail Link website at www.northwestrail.com.au. There is no need to pre-book, but leave plenty of time to get there.
