Picture: High Speed Rail Authority
From Newcastle to Sydney in one hour – that’s the dream of high speed rail officials.
That dream took a step closer today when the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) officially opened an office and information centre in Newcastle, NSW.
The centre will feature potential designs of stations and potential carriages while a business case is on track to be delivered to the federal government this year.
The High Speed Rail Authority Office and Community Information Centre opening in Newcastle was part of a $500 million federal funding commitment to an east coast high-speed rail network.
A proposed line from Newcastle to Sydney would use trains capable of speeds up to 320 km/h on a dedicated rail line with high-speed Wi-Fi, dining options, luggage storage and pet-friendly areas.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King says “high-speed rail means generations of new opportunities for regional Australia”.
“Our transformational investment in high-speed rail will help shape Australia for decades to come.”
Federal MP for Newcastle Sharon Claydon predicts that Newcastle will become the birthplace of high speed rail in Australia.
“Our government is committed to high-speed rail, which represents the next chapter in the economic story of Newcastle and the Hunter,” she says.
“The route will open a host of housing, employment and business opportunities for the region, as well as providing sustainable, low-emissions transport.
“I know that Novocastrians cannot wait to see this project come to fruition.”
Quotes attributable to High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker predicts that journeys will be reliable, quick, convenient and comfortable.
“Right now, we’re working on how to build a new railway in complex areas and the engineering challenges we would face,” he says.
“There would be stations in central Newcastle, the Central Coast and central Sydney with intermediate stations under consideration as part of business case work.
“From the Central Coast to Newcastle or to Sydney, the trip would be 30 minutes.”
