The NSW Liberal Government has failed to deliver on its own Western Sydney City Deal to roll out Rapid Bus Services to connect Western Sydney communities to the new Western Sydney Airport (WSA) and Aerotropolis precinct.

Confidential NSW Government documents obtained by the NSW Parliament revealed that the government had a business case to deliver rapid bus routes from Campbelltown, Liverpool and Penrith to WSA but failed to approve it.

The documents also reveal that any future rapid bus routes will not be operational in time for the opening of the Western Sydney Airport in 2026 because the government failed to make an investment decision by Transport for NSW’s July 2022 deadline.

Transport for NSW’s briefing to the Transport Minister David Elliott also states that additional infrastructure is required to support 400,000 new residents across Western Sydney, that growth of the bus network in the West cannot be accommodated by adjusting existing services and that there are currently no bus services in the Aerotropolis Core.

Labor is calling on the NSW Liberal Government to explain the decision to walk away from its own city deal, and to outline its plan to connect the new airport with growing Western Sydney communities.

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns said:

“The NSW Liberal Government has now failed to deliver on commitments in its own city deal to deliver essential public transport services to Western Sydney Airport by 2026.

“It’s the same story with this 12 year old government. Big promises and no delivery.

“What is the plan to get workers and passengers who live in Liverpool and Campbelltown to the new airport now the rapid bus plan in the city deal is seemingly off the table?

“This was a deal that the government was proud to announce at the time, but now they are quietly walking away from it. The public are tired of this government making grandiose promises which they simply aren’t able to deliver on.”

CHRIS MINNS MP
NSW LABOR LEADER