The NSW Government is once again planning to take away our railway infrastructure including bridges over Vaughan Street (Lidcombe) and Kerrs Road (Berala) with bus replacing trains for up to 9 stations in the West of Bankstown area once Sydney Metro Southwest opens as part of the Future Transport Strategy.
If it weren’t for the community campaign in 1922 against secret NSW Government decisions, Vaughan Street (Lidcombe) would be cut in half and Kerrs Road (Berala) would not be a thoroughfare to Tilba Street/Woodburn Road.
In 1922, Lidcombe Council led a campaign against secret NSW Railway Commission plans to close Vaughan St and Kerrs Road for the railway.
Following a strong community campaign for railway bridges over Vaughan St and Kerr Parade, the current railway from Lidcombe to Cabramatta via Regents Park opened in 1924.
The Lidcombe to Cabramatta line opened in October 1924 and allowed for direct trains to operate including City to Liverpool via Regents Park services (now formerly T2 Inner West Line).
In 2013, direct trains between Lidcombe to Cabramatta via Regents Park (on Inner West Line) were removed from Sydney Trains timetable.
In 2019, secret Transport for NSW plans showing plans to close train stations in the West of Bankstown area were tabled in NSW Parliament for the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into Sydenham to Bankstown line conversion.
Following a strong community campaign, Transport for NSW admitted that Sydney Trains had current capacity for direct trains to be restored.
As of August 2022, Transport for NSW refuses to confirm when the direct train services will be restored and secret documents show further planning to replace trains with bus for the West of Bankstown.
100 Years Later, the community is continuing to fight for our railway, bridges, and campaigning against secret NSW Government decisions.
If you have not done so already, please sign the petition in support of our train services and write to Transport for NSW urging action to guarantee Sydney Trains for existing stations in the West of Bankstown area with direct services to City Circle, Bankstown, and Liverpool.
Transport for NSW cannot be trusted in its claims to be planning for future rail services in the West of Bankstown area as the agency has failed to produce any draft timetables after 18 months of supposed timetable development since 2021 as well as continues to refuse to undertake community consultation regarding service frequencies, stopping patterns, and journey times.
The current status of the supposed Planning for Future Rail Services in the West of Bankstown project appears merely as a public relations exercise by Transport for NSW to show feigned compliance with the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into Sydenham to Bankstown line conversion (2019) which recommended that direct trains to City be restored for the West of Bankstown.
Read More: West of Bankstown Long-Term Future Remain in Doubt
