Extending light rail across Sydney is the centrepiece of the Greens' transport plan for the city, to be unveiled on Saturday.
"Several light rail loops would reduce congestion in the CBD and free up hundreds of buses to be reallocated as part of the expansion of western suburbs bus services," said Greens NSW Senate candidate Lee Rhiannon.
She has called on the NSW government to be "more ambitious" than its current plans for a line between Central and Barangaroo.
The Greens propose building on the inner west light rail network to reach areas like White Bay, Haberfield and Five Dock.
Ms Rhiannon said light rail could also serve the eastern and southern suburbs of Sydney, connecting the CBD with Coogee, Randwick, Bondi Beach and Maroubra.
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam will launch the Sydney Light Rail Plan on Saturday with a 30-page report outlining the benefits, costs and funding sources for light rail infrastructure in all Australian cities.
"We have an ambitious plan to resurrect light rail," Senator Ludlam said in a statement.
"Sydney could easily extend its existing system, following the lead of more than 100 international cities where light rail has made a comeback over the last decade."
Senator Ludlam will be joined at Central Light Rail Station by Ms Rhiannon and Greens candidates for the federal seats of Sydney and Grayndler.
He said that up until 1961, Sydney had the largest tram system in Australia.
"Now the old routes are clogged with cars," he said.
"(We are proposing) a dedicated, sustainable transport arm within Infrastructure Australia to consider light rail."
The Greens also want a national inventory and implementation study, which they estimate will cost about $10 million.
He said extending light rail across Sydney, to be integrated with existing public transport, would "get people out of their cars".
Front page
RSS Feed