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You can download the following document in Adobe PDF format here. (Internet Explorer users right-click and click "Save Target As". Netscape Navigator users right-click and click "Save Link As".) Thursday 6th March 2003 The Rail Now Campaign today claimed it was doubtful the Parramatta end of the Parramatta - Chatswood Rail Link would ever be built. A spokesperson for the group, Philip Howell, said: "In the last State election campaign, the Government boasted that it would build a new railway from Parramatta to Chatswood, but they cancelled half of it within two years." "Though they claimed to be only deferring the Parramatta to Epping part, it's now clear they can't deliver both that and the North-West rail link from Epping to Mungerie Park; at least not in the form they're promising." "The Parramatta Rail Link EIS said the line had the capacity to carry up to 15 trains an hour(1). The plan was to have 4 from Hornsby and 8 from Parramatta ending up at Chatswood(2). But the Overview Report on the North-West railway says 8 trains an hour will run from Mungerie Park through Epping to Chatswood and beyond(3). That means 20 trains an hour from Epping to Chatswood, on a line which can carry 15. How can that be done?" "The two plans guarantee the increasing convergence of rail lines - the exact opposite of what the Co-ordinator General of Rail urged in his long term plan in June 2001. He wants greater sectorisation, so that delays on one line don't feed through into others. The Parramatta line will feed into other lines at both ends." "The Government's plans just don’t add up, and the Liberals haven’t noticed. One plan will have to be changed, or dropped, unless they want to spend substantially more than they’ve budgeted. That of course is what they should do, but it’s more likely they’ll cancel the Parramatta - Epping connection." "Bland assurances are useless. The Rail Now Campaign wants an explanation of how it can be done, and we want the funds committed now." [Contact Philip Howell on 9891 3657(W) or 0408 486 433 or 9633 3941(H) or howell@bigpond.net.au, or Christine Laurence on 4739 9693(H). NB: A Briefing Paper showing how the Government has under-estimated the value of the Parramatta - Chatswood Rail Link is available at www.railnow.org.au] Footnotes: | ||||