2008-03-22
A VFT to Canberra?
I've driven back up to Sydney a couple of times since I've moved down to Canberra. The drive can be a tiring one, especially since I usually do it right after work on a Friday. I wouldn’t mind catching a train if it didn't take that long.
Sadly, the reality is that it’s much faster to drive. It only takes me just over 2 ½ hours by car (since I live near the M5), around 3 hours (to get to the city) by bus and by train it’s even longer. It's no surprise that most people drive from Sydney to Canberra.
Because of the fair amount of driving I've been doing (and will have to do over this year) I was intrigued by an article in the Canberra Times earlier in the week flagging the construction of a Very Fast Train between Sydney and Canberra in light of the new Labor Government’s commitment to infrastructure. It’s not a new idea at all. It’s been flagged a few times before but most recently was vetoed by the previous Howard Government.
Part of the push is by the owners of Canberra Airport who’d like to make it a secondary airport to Sydney to cash in. With the possible shutdown of the East-West runway at Kingsford-Smith, I'm sure a few residents of the inner west would be more than happy for this to happen.
Off the top of my head I could think of a few benefits, excluding the carbon emissions. An fast, affordable link would encourage population growth along the rail corridor and taking into account the time needed to check-in, get luggage etc., it might even be faster than getting a plane.
The main issue would be the cost and whether it can run regularly and break even since one would assume that it would be by a private consortium. The main cost is straightening out and building tracks which would be suitable for the most basic fast trains. I personally have no doubt that at least for the short to medium term there would have to be some kind of subsidy from the government whether funds or tax breaks. That was one of the things that killed the past plans for such a link, the requirement of no cost to the taxpayer.
It probably wouldn’t be built for many years if it is approved and by then I most likely won’t be in Canberra anymore. Still, it would be good but I don't think people should have great hopes for it to happen.
Sadly, the reality is that it’s much faster to drive. It only takes me just over 2 ½ hours by car (since I live near the M5), around 3 hours (to get to the city) by bus and by train it’s even longer. It's no surprise that most people drive from Sydney to Canberra.
Because of the fair amount of driving I've been doing (and will have to do over this year) I was intrigued by an article in the Canberra Times earlier in the week flagging the construction of a Very Fast Train between Sydney and Canberra in light of the new Labor Government’s commitment to infrastructure. It’s not a new idea at all. It’s been flagged a few times before but most recently was vetoed by the previous Howard Government.
Part of the push is by the owners of Canberra Airport who’d like to make it a secondary airport to Sydney to cash in. With the possible shutdown of the East-West runway at Kingsford-Smith, I'm sure a few residents of the inner west would be more than happy for this to happen.
Off the top of my head I could think of a few benefits, excluding the carbon emissions. An fast, affordable link would encourage population growth along the rail corridor and taking into account the time needed to check-in, get luggage etc., it might even be faster than getting a plane.
The main issue would be the cost and whether it can run regularly and break even since one would assume that it would be by a private consortium. The main cost is straightening out and building tracks which would be suitable for the most basic fast trains. I personally have no doubt that at least for the short to medium term there would have to be some kind of subsidy from the government whether funds or tax breaks. That was one of the things that killed the past plans for such a link, the requirement of no cost to the taxpayer.
It probably wouldn’t be built for many years if it is approved and by then I most likely won’t be in Canberra anymore. Still, it would be good but I don't think people should have great hopes for it to happen.
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