A very-fast train link between Canberra and Sydney could enable Sydney’s second airport to be built in Canberra instead of Badgery’s Creek, according to a technology consultant.
Dale Budd, who formerly worked for the VFT consortium, said no-one questioned that Australia should have world-class road and air links between Canberra and Sydney, with dual carriageway and new jets. However, as soon as world-class state-of-the-art rail was mentioned, the sceptics said it would not work.
Mr Budd was speaking at a forum, including a panel of 15 academics, at the University of Canberra last week on “”Future Options for Canberra”. It was a lead-up to the September “”Canberra: Face of the Nation?” conference sponsored by the university, the Canberra Business Council, the ACT Government and the National Capital Planning Authority.
A Canberra-to-Sydney link should be built first because it would be easier to finance. Its success would result in extensions soon after.
It had many benefits. People could come to Canberra from Sydney in an hour to see attractions like major art exhibitions and Floriade. Interstate and overseas tourism would increase. Train would also provide a cheaper, faster alternative for Canberrans going to Sydney for business or pleasure. It would get to the centre of city in an hour or an hour and a quarter, and would be more reliable than air or road.
“”The railway could make Canberra a more attractive site for Sydney’s second airport than Badgery’s Creek,” he said.
It would result in Canberra becoming a transport hub for the whole of south-eastern Australia, especially if Melbourne were linked into the very-fast train.
It might be that a new, bigger Canberra airport could be built on a different site.