news, local-news, Macarthur station, menangle park, railway, electrical lines, narellan road

Calls to extend the electric line from Macarthur station to Menangle Park have been rejected by the state government. This is a blow not only to commuters in the village, and nearby Wollondilly Shire, but a campaign to ease Narellan Road’s traffic problems by creating a Botanic Garden railway station. As the Advertiser revealed last year, local planners are investigating a clever new idea to take thousands of Camden and Wollondilly cars off Campbelltown gridlock. Ths involved construction of the proposed Spring Farm link — a major new road from Camden Bypass to the M5 motorway and Menangle Road; and a commuter train station at the southern end of the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, with extension of the electric line south from Macarthur Square. Such a station would not only be a boon for local tourism, linking the botanic garden directly to the Sydney rail network, but it would ease Macarthur’s worst traffic jam. But a letter from Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian has smashed those hopes. Responding to a formal plea for help from Campbelltown Council, the minister replied: ‘‘The government does not have any current plans to electrify the line.’’ Independent councillor Fred Borg said it was ridiculous, considering the Baird Government’s annoucement of Campbelltown as a ‘‘regional centre’’. ‘‘We have three Liberal MPs (Bryan Doyle, Jai Rowell and Chris Patterson), and I urge them to lobby the minister to change her mind. ‘‘We are a regional city ... with diesel trains,’’ Cr Borg said. ‘‘It’s ridiculous’’. ‘‘We have a prestigious harness racing facility in Menangle Park but people have to change and catch a diesel train to get there — is this 2015 or 1905? ‘‘We have planned housing estates at Menangle Park, and many commuters from Wollondilly and Camden who, if they could catch a train from Menangle Park, wouldn’t have to come along Narellan Road and other traffic bottlenecks. ‘‘But the government won’t act.’’ In November, Campbelltown Council’s letter to the Transport Minister stated: ‘‘With the continued growth in regional developments, areas such as Mernangle Park, Wilton Junction and Spring Farm will see an increased population of around 50,000 people. ‘‘The electrification of the rail line to Menangle Station will provide the ability to increase the capacity of the city and help reduce the congestion being experienced at existing stations and surrounding road networks.’’ Those please have seemingly fallen on deaf ears.

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