Georges River Council has welcomed the recent announcement from the NSW Government regarding key service improvements to the T4 Illawarra and T8 Airport lines which service the Georges River local government area (LGA).
The infrastructure upgrades, which form part of the NSW Government's $4.3 billion More Trains, More Services program, will be delivered as two separate packages of work, each worth around $300 million.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the major milestone will result in the creation of hundreds of jobs for the NSW economy to deliver essential upgrades to these lines because they are among the busiest on the network.
Georges River Council mayor Kevin Greene said that these upgrades are critical to easing congestion and connecting our community, workforce and visitors.
"The upgraded services potentially allow for a train as frequently as every two minutes during the peak," Councillor Greene said..
"Many of our residents are already enjoying the convenience and efficiency of the 30-minute city due to the concentration of homes and jobs around train stations across Georges River.
"As the number of people and jobs in the LGA increases, so too should the alignment of infrastructure through greater transport efficiency. Better connections and services between Georges River's centres and other metropolitan and strategic centres around Greater Sydney will improve quality of life and productivity for the people who live and work in the LGA.
"Council is committed to achieving better public transport outcomes for our community, and recently endorsed the River Rail report calling for the fast-tracking of the proposed mass transit link between Kogarah and Parramatta," Cr Greene said.
The More Trains, More Services project will be staged over three to five years.
The River Rail is considered a critical piece of infrastructure which will transform Greater Sydney, adding $7.5 billion GRP across Sydney from 2030-2045 and facilitating direct public transport between Kogarah and Parramatta.
Key service improvements for customers:
T4 Illawarra Line:
A 20 per cent increase in peak services on the T4 Illawarra Line. This includes an extra three services an hour in peak times for key hubs like Hurstville and Sutherland.
Additional capacity to carry 3,600 more customers in peak times.
T8 Airport Line:
More services for the T8 Airport Line, including a 60 per cent increase at the International, Domestic, Mascot and Green Square stations during the morning peak, meaning trains on average every three to four minutes instead of every six minutes.
Additional capacity to carry 2,400 more customers in peak times.
