Having recently successfully completed Exhibition Halls 5 & 6, the development team have moved to an upgrade of the existing Stables’ building. This 1998 development is being upgraded to facilitate both hospitality functions but importantly a permanent primary education program and Sydney Royal competitions. Works, which are mainly of a cosmetic nature to contemporise the building are anticipated to be complete by mid to late July.

By the end of September 2014 Sydney Showground anticipates spending upward of $4m on a range of replacement and development initiatives in the Dome and Halls 1-4 to support the ongoing partnership we have with our clients and to underpin the improved and efficient delivery of their various events.

The State Budget’s $400 million commitment to a Light Rail Network centred on Parramatta will revolutionise public transport in Western Sydney, Platinum Partner Parramatta City Council's Lord Mayor Cr John Chedid said today.

“This is fantastic news for Parramatta and Western Sydney, and a big vote of confidence in our Council’s plans for a light rail network linking Parramatta to key centres including Macquarie Park and the Hills district,” Cr Chedid said.

“I commend the Baird Government for this visionary move to help deliver modern 21^st Century public transport for Western Sydney residents and workers.

“Last week, the Government announced a $10 million feasibility study for the network.

“The Budget’s reservation of $400 million for the light rail network is a further sign of just how serious the Government is about delivering much-needed new transport infrastructure for our region.

“The Light Rail Network will bring more jobs to Western Sydney, cater for our growing population and reduce traffic congestion by making it easier for residents and workers to leave their cars at home.

“As Lord Mayor, I have been campaigning for this project for several years. Our Council has conducted a detailed feasibility study which shows the project is viable at a total cost of $1.5 billion.

“The network will link two of the nation’s fastest growing CBDs, Parramatta and Macquarie Park, and also the Hills district, which supplies 60 per cent of Parramatta’s workforce.”         

Cr Chedid said the network would be fast and frequent, with services coming every 10 minutes and every five minutes for stops within the Parramatta CBD.

“It will address the two main challenges facing Western Sydney: creating jobs and catering for a fast growing population. By 2031, the network will support 180,000 jobs and 50,000 homes,” he said.  

“Our Council’s feasibility study has identified potential stops and routes along the network, which consists of two lines – the Macquarie Park Line and the Castle Hill Line.

“The Macquarie Park Line will connect Westmead, Cumberland Hospital, through Parramatta CBD, the University of Western Sydney, Dundas, Eastwood and Macquarie Park.

“From Parramatta, the Castle Hill Line follows Windsor Road, to Baulkham Hills and through the Castle Hill Trading Zone to Castle Hill and an interchange to the North West Rail Link.

“Both lines travel between Rydalmere and North Parramatta, across Parramatta CBD. This will strengthen the connections between employment and education, and support Parramatta’s growth.

“Our study recommends that the Macquarie Line be constructed first as it is expected to have strong patronage throughout the day and evening, from students and health workers at Westmead and the University of Western Sydney.”

Cr Chedid also welcomed the other Budget initiatives including extra funding for Western Sydney hospitals, more public service jobs for Western Sydney and the commitment to the M9 motorway project, which will ease traffic congestion by linking the Central Coast with the Illawarra. 

Madon Labib, 18, Marina Aboud, 18, and Eyleia Saleeb, 17, ride a Waratah train with Premier Mike Baird / Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Corp Australia

A VISION for light rail from Parramatta up to Castle Hill and Ryde and possibly down to Bankstown has been backed by Premier Mike Baird, who will commit at least $10 million to a feasibility study for the project.

In a major win for The Daily Telegraph’s Fair Go For The West campaign, Mr Baird will tonight ­announce funding for the report into the light rail project, which he described as “about as exciting as you can have”.

He also labelled the “north-south” route through Sydney as the “missing link” with the government already working on projects aimed at bringing people from the West to the CBD.

In taking on the project, Mr Baird plans to explore work done by Parramatta City Council, which has already costed the project at $1.7 billion.

Under the council’s proposal, one line would operate from Westmead through Parramatta to Eastwood and to Macquarie Park.

Another line would run from Parramatta to Castle Hill. All up, there would be 30km of track with hopes in the future of adding a Parramatta-to- Bankstown line.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian has previously flagged a potential light rail line west of Parramatta and the state opposition has also committed to funding a feasibility study on the project if elected.

“You’ve got improved arteries ... that funnel into the CBD but the north to south is the missing link from a public transport point of view,” Mr Baird said.

“I think it (the light rail proposal) is about as exciting as you can have from a transport point of view . . and I think Parramatta Council’s done very well to do the legwork on this.

“They’ve been constructive ... we want to pick the ball up and now do it properly ... we’re going to measure the full feasibility of the light rail.”

Mr Baird said a key issue raised at the Daily Telegraph’s Fair Go For The West Youth Forum, also “raised by business and community groups ... is the transport going north to south”.

He promised to get on with the study “straight away” and wanted it completed “as quickly as possible”.

“We will crack on with it,” the Premier said, and did not rule out having the study complete in time for the election campaign.

“The initial work done seems to suggest that light rail (has) got a capacity . . in terms of patronage. It could provide an opportunity for the private sector to participate, that is what the feasibility study will look at as well.”

Any construction of a light rail would follow the construction of inner west light rail and planned construction of city light rail through the city and out to Randwick and Kingsford in Sydney’s south east.

Source: The Daily Telegraph by Andrew Clennell.  Original Article.

Our proposed long-term lease of 49 per cent of the State’s electricity network businesses will keep downward pressure on electricity prices through ongoing price regulation and applying strict conditions to the transaction.

These conditions include a guaranteed discount on electricity network prices by one per cent off the forecast regulated prices until 2019, and that the transaction will have no adverse impact on electricity reliability.

Network prices will continue to be subject to regulation by the Australian Energy Regulator and standards such as reliability and safety will continue to be enforced through licences.

An independent report prepared by Ernst & Young has confirmed NSW households have been paying significantly more in network costs than customers in Victoria and South Australia since those states privatised their assets in the 1990s.

Ernst & Young found that while costs in Victoria and South Australia had fallen in real terms, NSW network costs had risen by 122 per cent.

The NSW Government will unlock $20 billion in infrastructure funding, including $6 billion for regional NSW, by undertaking a long-term lease of 49 per cent of the “poles and wires” network businesses, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced.

For Sydney, the centrepiece of the plan will be a new Sydney Rapid Transit line, including a second harbour rail crossing and extending the North West Rail Link through the CBD and beyond to Bankstown.

In the regions, among other projects, Rebuilding NSW will support a Regional Roads Fund and a Regional Water Fund, each worth at least $1 billion.

“Rebuilding NSW will turbocharge productivity and improve the daily lives of families right across the State,” Mr Baird said.

“We all know we live in the greatest state in the greatest country on earth, but we also know, as a community, that a number of significant challenges have built up over time.

“Our roads and rail networks, our schools and hospitals, and our water infrastructure have not kept up with our growing population.

“Now we are seeing the consequences, particularly in the area of transport.

“Both our quality of life – the time we are able to spend with family and friends – and the productivity of our workplaces is suffering.

“I am simply not prepared to let these problems fester, so that they drag down our economy and pose even greater challenges for our children and grandchildren.

“Infrastructure NSW will now be asked to re-cast the State Infrastructure Strategy, ensuring that every corner of the State benefits from Rebuilding NSW – including the Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra.”

Mr Baird said highlights of Rebuilding NSW, in addition to Sydney Rapid Transit and the Regional Roads and Water Funds, include:

• Sydney Roads Renewal, which will include two new WestConnex extensions to the north and south, as well as projects to support the Northern beaches and inner west;
  
• A Schools and Hospitals Building Fund, worth at least $2 billion;
  
• A Sports and Cultural Fund worth at least $500 million.
  

Mr Baird said Rebuilding NSW would be funded through a 99-year lease of 49 per cent of the state-owned network companies.

Strict conditions on the lease would include:

• All net proceeds will be invested in new productive infrastructure;
  
• Electricity network prices will be discounted by 1 per cent off the forecast regulated prices until 2019;
  
• The jobs of permanent award employees will be protected and treated consistently with previous transactions;
  
• The transaction will have no adverse impact on electricity reliability; and
  
• The regional presence of the network businesses will be maintained.
  

See Rebuilding NSW for more information.

Source: www.nsw.gov.au . Original Article.