Monday 4 December 2023
Today at 3:15pm, community advocate Roydon Ng will present pivotal evidence at the NSW Upper House Inquiry into Current and Future Public Transport Needs in Western Sydney. Ng, representing the Restore T2 Inner West Line and Save T3 Bankstown Line campaign, will address the pressing issues faced by the West of Bankstown community.
The campaign, catering to approximately 19,000 daily commuters affected by the Metro Southwest project, aims to rectify the adverse impacts on rail services. Ng’s opening statement emphasises the significant transportation disadvantages resulting from the removal of T2 Inner West Line (City to Liverpool and Bankstown via Regents Park) services and peak express trains from Lidcombe and Granville, rendering West of Bankstown one of the most transport-disadvantaged areas in Sydney.
Acknowledging the NSW Government’s commitment to restoring direct trains to City Circle from select stations, Ng expresses concern for Birrong and Yagoona, the only two stations without any connection to Central Station. The imminent reduction of the T3 Bankstown Line to a Lidcombe-Bankstown shuttle after 2024 raises further concerns about equitable access to public transport in the area.
Ng urges Transport for NSW to halt the potential closure of West of Bankstown after 2030 and focus on essential north-south connections, such as between Bankstown and Parramatta, while rebuilding trust in the local community.
The campaign also criticises the Temporary Transport Plan for the T3 Line shutdown, citing a lack of understanding of the West of Bankstown area and an increase in congestion due to the doubling of buses in Lidcombe.
Ng questions the scope of the Transport Administration Act 1988 in enabling Sydney Metro to permanently remove Sydney Trains from stations not being converted into Metro Southwest, emphasising that the West of Bankstown should not be an afterthought for Transport for NSW planners.
Also in drawing attention to the astroturf group “Locals for Metro Southwest”, Ng exposes their alleged contempt for genuine commuters on the T3 Bankstown Line, accusing them of prioritising property development interests over community needs with the support of the former NSW Government.
Ng emphasizes the importance of transparently planned transit-oriented development, asserting that transit is a prerequisite for such development. He highlights the historical significance of West of Bankstown having two direct lines to City Circle before 2013 and asserts the reasonableness of the community’s simple request for a train connection to Central.
Roydon Ng’s evidence underscores the urgency of addressing the transport disparities in Western Sydney and calls for a comprehensive and community-focused approach to public transportation planning.
Quotes attributable to Roydon Ng, convenor of Restore Inner West Line and Save T3 Bankstown Line:
- “Is it unreasonable to request a train to Central?”
- “An inconvenient fact is that the T3 Line does not end at Bankstown, but currently continues west to Lidcombe in Cumberland Council area and also to Liverpool as well”
- “Broken Hill will have more trains to Sydney compared to Birrong and Yagoona (which will have none) once Sydney Metro Southwest opens”
- “Transport for NSW should focus on more north-south connectivity such as Parramatta to Bankstown and using all existing tracks in Sefton Junction and Lidcombe Junction instead of planning to close the West of Bankstown”
Roydon Ng’s submission into the Current and Future public transport needs in Western Sydney can be viewed at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/submissions/82058/0058%20Restore%20Inner%20West%20Line%20and%20Save%20T3%20Bankstown%20Line.pdf
Media Enquiries: Roydon Ng (0426 500 330)
