A high-speed underground train connecting the Sydney CBD with Parramatta is set to commence construction in 2020, with yesterday’s state budget setting aside $3 billion in funding for the infrastructure project.

Some $28 million will be immediately invested into finalising the business case for the project. Full funding is contingent on this document, which is expected to be finalised by the end of the year.

John Alexander has thrown his support behind the idea, but says it should go further.

“I think this is much-needed infrastructure,” reiterates the Liberal Bennelong MP.

“But we’ve just completed the taking of evidence on our latest inquiry into infrastructure, transport and cities. The overwhelming message from the inquiry was that we’ve got to master plan infrastructure.”

“We had three groups that presented proposals for high-speed rail. All three of them had the high-speed rail terminal in Homebush Bay. They would then need fast rail to get from there into Parramatta and there into Sydney.”

“These two pieces of infrastructure should be planned together. It (shouldn’t just be) an ad hoc plan.”

Alexander is hopeful the decentralising potential of high-speed rail will be more avidly tapped into moving forward, as Sydney struggles with the symptoms of overpopulation.

“This is the whole concept of having high satellite cities through high-speed rail connectivity. Whether you’re in the Southern Highlands, Wollongong or Gosford, you would be 15 to 16 minutes out of the CBD, but it wouldn’t add to congestion or put upward pressure on housing prices.”

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