Randwick Mayor welcomes plans for light rail extension to UNSW

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                                                                              

3 October 2012 

Randwick Mayor Tony Bowen has welcomed today’s announcement from Infrastructure NSW of a $500 million extension of Sydney’s light rail network from Central to the Moore Park precinct and University of NSW.

“Randwick City Council has supported the return of light rail to the eastern suburbs for many years and it’s pleasing to see Infrastructure NSW prioritising this project for the next five years,” Mayor Bowen said.

“In short, light rail to Randwick provides a lot of bang for your buck. This will make it easier to get to the footy or cricket while also helping tens of thousands of commuters, workers and students.

“I’m also pleased to see the Government considering an extension of the eastern suburbs heavy rail line to Randwick and Maroubra as the next train line to be built,” Mayor Bowen said.

MEDIA RELEASE                                                                                                                                                              

3 October 2012 

Randwick Mayor Tony Bowen has welcomed today’s announcement from Infrastructure NSW of a $500 million extension of Sydney’s light rail network from Central to the Moore Park precinct and University of NSW.

“Randwick City Council has supported the return of light rail to the eastern suburbs for many years and it’s pleasing to see Infrastructure NSW prioritising this project for the next five years,” Mayor Bowen said.

“In short, light rail to Randwick provides a lot of bang for your buck. This will make it easier to get to the footy or cricket while also helping tens of thousands of commuters, workers and students.

“I’m also pleased to see the Government considering an extension of the eastern suburbs heavy rail line to Randwick and Maroubra as the next train line to be built,” Mayor Bowen said.

“Randwick City is unique – no other area in Sydney contains four major hospitals, a leading university and TAFE, a nationally significant racecourse, major sporting stadiums and parklands and yet has no dedicated rail transport.

“While the proposal is welcome, I would like to see the Government commit to maintaining or improving the current bus services in the eastern suburbs and also consider providing a dedicated bicycle path alongside the light rail route.

“Light rail to Randwick will benefit not just the 11,000 workers who travel to the Sydney CBD each day, but also for our 42,000 UNSW students, 13,200 hospital and uni workers, 7,000 TAFE students, 400,000 race-goers and the millions more who go to concerts, games and events at Moore Park, Centennial Parklands and sporting stadiums each year.

“I’m pleased Randwick City Council’s ongoing partnership with the University of NSW, the Australian Turf Club, The Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust and the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service is now paying off,” Mayor Bowen said.