THE state government will be asked to look at the feasibility of building a railway station near Sutherland Hospital.
Sutherland Shire Council will write to Premier Mike Baird and the relevant ministers asking the government to carry out a viability study for a non-peak hour working railway station to be located in the hospital precinct.
The council will also ask the government for costings so it can evaluate joint funding of the project.
A previous proposal to build a railway station behind Sutherland Hospital was rejected about 12 years ago when State Rail found the predicted $35 million cost was not justified.
But increasing pressures on parking has seen the proposal resurface. The likely adoption of the council's new Local Environmental Plan and an increase in population is expected to put more pressure on parking at the hospital.
Sutherland Hospital's new $10 million, four-storey car park was opened by Mr Baird and Health Minister Jillian Skinner last August.
The car park at the rear of the hospital next to the railway line has 300 spaces, bringing the total campus number to 1000.
But there have been complaints over parking costs, with visitors paying from $5 for the first hour up to a maximum of $18.50 for a day.
Should a railway station be built at or near Sutherland Hospital?
