No details on freight loop

The State Government does not appear to have immediate plans to build a freight rail loop near Woy Woy.

The office of Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport Mr John Watkins has been unable to provide detailed information regarding a plan the Federal Labor government promised before Election Day.

Labor pledged $840 million to a dedicated freight rail track from North Strathfield to Gosford, which included a bi-directional freight-loop to be located at Woy Woy.

The promise, made on November 19 by then Shadow Transport Minister Mr Martin Ferguson (now Resources and Energy and Tourism Minister), is still available on the Australian Labor Party website.

When asked about the progress of the plan for the rail link between Sydney and the Central Coast, a spokeswoman for Mr Watkins said: "The northern Sydney corridor is one of the most congested on the CityRail network.

"Improving the performance for both freight and passenger services along this corridor has been recognised as one of the highest priority in the NSW government's Auslink 2 Submission."

When further pressed for specifics, such as the cost of the Woy Woy freight loop, where the freight loop would be located along the Woy Woy track, what specific purpose the freight loop would serve and if there were any plans or diagrams available, the response was similar.

"As part of the AusLink process, the NSW Government is working with the Federal Government to undertake a detailed analysis of the entire corridor," the spokeswoman said.

"This analysis will determine the most appropriate projects and their locations.

"The purpose of these projects would be to improve the movement of trains so that freight trains and limited stop suburban trains do not block each other."

Clare Graham, 23 April 2008 Lyle Stone, 1 May 2008