[Greens-Media] Govt should honour light rail promise

[Susie Gemmell]

26 August 2005

The Government should make true its 1998 promise to examine the extension of light rail into Sydney's CBD as the city braces itself for the opening of the Cross City Tunnel, said Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon.

"In 1998, then Transport Minister Carl Scully deferred the extension of the light rail network into the CBD until the Cross City Tunnel opened," said Lee Rhiannon.

"The tunnel has finally arrived and The Greens want the Government to keep their promise and put the light rail CBD extension back on Sydney's planning agenda. 

"The RTA has had to admit that building tunnels and roads isn't going to solve traffic congestion and air quality problems in the city. 

"The Greens said as much in our submission to the Cross City Tunnel EIS back in 2000, when we predicted all the problems that are coming to light as the city braces itself for the tunnel's opening.

"People are waking up to the Greens' long held concerns that the devil is in the detail.  

"The public feels let down by the predicted traffic chaos and they should hold the Government to account by demanding more public transport.

"The Greens are baffled to understand why every transport group, except the Government, views light rail as the cornerstone of re-designing inner Sydney transport.

"The Government must keep its promise and move on from the Cross City Tunnel toward a more sustainable transport vision for inner Sydney's traffic congestion and air quality problems." said Ms Rhiannon.

More information:  Susie Gemmell - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568


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Susie Gemmell
Adviser
Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile:  0431 458 102
Email   susie.gemmell at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web    www.leerhiannon.org.au