AAP – The Turnbull Government has given the green light for construction of Sydney’s long-awaited second airport, despite no provisions yet for a rail link.
A plan for the 1800ha site at Badgerys Creek in western Sydney was given the final sign-off on Monday and is expected to open in the mid-2020s, initially serving up to five million passengers a year.
The airport will open with a single 3.7km runway, with a second runway planned for the following decades, according to Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher.
He said while the airport plan will have land set aside for a train station and a train line route, it does not actually include a rail link.
Instead, Mr Fletcher emphasised plans for road transport, including the new M12 motorway, which will connect the M7 to the airport.
Critics, however, say the government needs to be “honest and transparent” about its plans for the airport.
(IMAGE: Philip Bragg,Flickr)
