High Speed Rail from Canberra to Sydney a must argues Byron
PrintAlmost 12 million passengers would make use of a high speed rail (HSR) service between Canberra and the Sydney CBD by 2036 according to forecasts released by Canberra Airport.
“Anyone who alleges that there is no case for HSR is simply not looking at the evidence,” Canberra Airport Managing Director, Stephen Byron said.
“The case is really very simple. Sydney needs a second airport because Kingsford-Smith Airport (KSA) will be at capacity by 2027. But demand will continue to grow – and where do those passengers go?"
Mr Byron argued that demand for an HSR service between Canberra and Sydney would be significantly boosted by overflow from KSA, and that a second airport would be unviable and overly expensive.
“Forty years of history tells us that. Both the Federal and NSW Governments have repeatedly ruled out building an airport at Badgery’s Creek and the Federal Government has not moved to shore up its preferred site at Wilton. The land there is not yet owned by the Commonwealth and local opposition to Wilton is mounting in a grassroots movement reminiscent of Badgery’s Creek. People don’t want to live next to airports.
“In the meantime, it is only 15 years until KSA is at capacity according to the Study on Aviation Capacity for the Sydney Region and if nothing is done the revenue foregone for NSW and Australia will be billions of dollars”
The study concludes that by 2030, the number of passengers overflowing from a capacity constrained KSA and using the Canberra Airport and HSR would be around 2.5 million, with that number set to grow to 2.5 million by 2035 and on to 20.5 million by 2040.
“With HSR from Canberra Airport, passengers will reach the Sydney CBD in 57 minutes – faster than from Wilton, Badgery’s Creek, or even KSA given the ground transport forecasts.” Mr Byron concluded.
The full study can be found here