Infrastructure NSW's priorities for transport would burden the inner west with more congested and polluting motorways, according to Greens Member for Balmain Jamie Parker and transport spokesperson Greens MP Cate Faehrmann.
Ms Faehrmann said:
"Infrastructure NSW has become little more than a motorway consortium frontgroup. Its vision for this state is all about tollways and private sector profiteering.
"Today's report is an uninspiring rubber stamp to business as usual. Infrastructure NSW was supposed to be taking the politics out of infrastructure planning, but without any community representation on the board we've ended up with just another powerful roads lobby group.
"An absolutely critical project to get Sydney moving again is the second harbour rail crossing. It would boost the capacity of the rail lines that serve the inner west, but it's being delayed in favour of these motorways that everyone knows will do absolutely nothing to relieve congestion in the medium to long term," Ms Faehrmann said.
Mr Parker said:
"The inner west will be hit hard as a result of this short-sightedness, with the M4 East and M5 duplication to bring more cars to already congested corridors including Parramatta Road, Victoria Rd and the Anzac Bridge.
"The only long term solution to Sydney's congestion is a genuine commitment to public transport, including a strategy to expand the existing light rail network.
"The inner west is already suffering the traffic impacts of decades of disproportionate investment in car-dependent projects and under-investment in public transport, forcing commuters into cars and onto motorways.
"Sydney deserves a world-class public transport system but unfortunately this government looks set to continue the legacy of the former Labor government, conceding to the roads lobby at the expense of long-suffering commuters," Mr Parker said.
Media contacts:
Alison Martin for Jamie Parker: 0432 941 533
Peter Stahel for Cate Faehrmann: 0433 005 727
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