Greens Question the Benefit of Light Rail

BY KIMBERLEY NICOLL

The NSW Greens have requested for Newcastle's light rail project to be investigated.

An auditor-general report found the Sydney CBD light rail heralded multiple problems.

The Sydney project cost about an extra $500 000 to construct, mainly due to incorrect pricing and omissions in the business case.

The Greens transport spokesperson Mehreen Faruqui says she believes there are similarities between the two light rails.

"The report was pretty clear saying there was poor planning, ... mismanagement, and that the community was actually misled on that project... What I suspect is that similar issues are also quite apparent in the Newcastle light rail."

Source: ABC

The Newcastle community, experts, and business owners have repeatedly made vocal their concerns for the project.

However, the government have still continued their planning without the acceptance of local citizens.

Mehreen Faruqui says that their concerns, "have fallen on deaf ears".



The Greens wish for the NSW auditor-general to assess the Newcastle light rail project so that a comprehensive assessment can be legitimised.

They believe this will then provide the Newcastle community with the actual cost and benefit of the new transportation.