While the Canberra to Sydney trains are getting an upgrade, there’s been yet another push to make the trip faster. Photo: John Coleman.
Conversations about fast rail from Canberra to Sydney have been ongoing for decades but the ACT Greens believe the time is right to get the project “back on track”.
Transport spokesperson Jo Clay called on all ACT parties to write to their NSW and federal counterparts and urge them to support the project “in a timely manner”, stating it was “time to crack on”.
“The beauty is that right now we have a ACT Government, a NSW Government and a Federal Government who all say we want faster trains from Canberra to Sydney,” she said.
“With all that support, the job is simply to liaise and lobby and get the job done.”
The Federal Government has previously indicated its support for fast rail, establishing the High Speed Rail Authority earlier this year.
It’s also on the National Infrastructure Priority List.
Ms Clay said she was happy for the experts to determine the best route, but this was about finally getting a plan together and then all governments moving forward to deliver it.
“I’ve been in Canberra my whole life, I’ve heard all of the conversations about bullet trains, very fast trains – it would be great if Australia had that kind of rail network,” she said.
“The Greens are pragmatists, what we’re actually asking for is just a faster train than four hours between Canberra and Sydney.”
Ms Clay said the ageing infrastructure should be upgraded in the meantime to bring down the travel time, while the fast rail case was being developed.
She said it would also help with cost of living pressures and emissions reduction.
It’s an idea supported by all sides of ACT politics.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr has long been an advocate for faster rail to the Territory.
Mr Barr said he’d been having “positive engagement” with the new Labor governments in NSW and the Commonwealth.
He’s already written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese outlining three key infrastructure projects for consideration, including upgrading the Canberra to Sydney rail network, and discussed the matter with NSW Premier Chris Minns and the NSW Transport Minister.
“We will continue to prioritise this issue with the NSW and federal governments,” Mr Barr said.
“It will require all three governments to work together but I am encouraged by the early responses from both my NSW and federal counterparts.”
Shadow Transport Minister Mark Parton also voiced his support, even though he felt the motion was a “benign piece of virtue signalling” for something mainly under the control of governments outside the ACT.
He said, despite what some may think, the Canberra Liberals weren’t opposed to “everything on rails”.
“Contrary to popular belief, [we] don’t hate things that run on rails, just things that cost too much and take too long to deliver,” Mr Parton said.
Transport Minister Chris Steel said higher airfare ticket costs during the current economic environment, possibly due to reliability issues on the Canberra to Sydney flights, had seen an increased number of travellers using the train service.
“In some cases it’s been booked out, which is fantastic to see, so we actually need more services [and] we need faster services in the future as well,” he said.
Transport for NSW is in the process of replacing its ageing regional rail fleet, which will be used between Sydney and Canberra.
The ACT Government is also considering further potential upgrades to Canberra’s railway station.
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