Housing approvals on a high
Transport for NSW has unveiled Australia’s first fully-automated rapid transit trains, which will run on the North West Rail Link.
The brand new rapid transit trains will run every 4 minutes during peak hours on the North West Rail Link as part of a $3.7 billion contract just signed by the NSW Government.
Sydney’s new trains will be built by international train supplier Alstom who produce rapid transit trains for global cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, Milan and Amsterdam.
Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian said the new 6-carriage trains would modernise the Sydney public transport network, delivering frequent and reliable services to customers.
“This project will transform and modernise public transport in Sydney forever. With tunnelling now underway and a contract signed to operate the rail network – the NSW Government is well and truly delivering,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Our customers tell us that frequency of services is one of the most important factors when travelling on public transport – on the North West Rail Link, you won’t need a timetable, you’ll just turn up and go”.
Transport for NSW is currently looking at seating configurations, but promise ample seating and innovations like multi-purpose areas for prams and luggage.
Services on the North West Rail Link will start in the first half of 2019.
Housing approvals in NSW are at their highest level since the 12 month period ending in May 2000, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.
Minister for Planning Pru Goward said that more than 52,000 housing approvals were made in the 12 months to August 2014, which meant that around 1,000 new homes a week had been approved.
“We know there will be two million extra people living in NSW by 2031, which means we’ll need about a million more homes,” she said.
“The NSW Government has already started work on delivering the homes we’ll need for the future with more than 4,200 dwelling approvals provided in August.”
According to Minister Goward, boosting the supply of homes to help meet demand will help improve housing affordability.
“This is smart planning for a growing NSW – making sure that the number of homes available keeps up with the number of homes we need will help put downward pressure on house prices,” she said.
The NSW Government has already:
- Paved the way for the construction of more than 100,000 homes in less than three years.
- Announced the release of land for an additional 8,100 homes in Western Sydney.
- Increased the threshold for the First Homebuyers Grant to $750,000.
- Announced three Urban Activation Precincts along the North West Rail Line aimed at creating 19,000 jobs and 12,000 new homes.
Source: News Release, NSW Government media release, 02 October 2014