Fury over forgetting election promise to get back on track
In September, Cumberland Council wrote to the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Transport Minister Andrew Constance, along with local state members Julia Finn and Lynda Voltz, asking when express train line routes would be returned to these stations.
In a response on behalf of Mr Constance this month, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Roads, Eleni Petinos, said “there were no immediate plans to change the frequency or nature” of the train services from Granville.
In her reply, Ms Petinos did note that the Government had committed to additional bus services over the next four years, including a new route proposed from Parramatta to Westmead, operating via Mays Hill and Wentworthville. However detailed planning by Transport for NSW was one to two years away and was “dependent on available funding and resources”.
Critical of the response, Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou said restoring express train services at Granville should be a priority for the State Government.
“Quite frankly, the response we’ve received isn’t good enough,” he said.
“We are one of Sydney’s largest councils and with a significant increase in the population expected over the coming years, it’s absolutely vital that commuters have efficient and regular transport to support our growing community.
“The council has a number of major infrastructure projects underway or starting soon in the area – including the Granville Park Stadium upgrade and construction of the new Granville Centre, which is right on the rail corridor.
“In March this year, we understood that express services would be reinstated if the NSW Coalition Government was re-elected.
“The State Government and the local member may have forgotten about this, but we haven’t.”
