Australia's New South Wales Transport minister, David Campbell, has announced that both the proposed North West Metro and the construction of the south-west rail link transport projects in Sydney would have to be axed due to the state's current budget crises.
Campbell said that the decision to cut these transport projects had to be taken because of the capital required and the current economic crises.
"The Government is facing tough decisions as part of the mini-budget process so we have decided to defer the North West Metro project and will stage the delivery of the South West Rail Link so the infrastructure matches growth in the area," he said.
Campbell also said that proceeding with the $12.5bn metro would absorb all department funds, leaving nothing for hospitals, schools and other essential public transport.
As a replacement the department of transport has pledged to buy 300 buses, 100 of which will be dedicated to the North West routes.
Campbell said that the projects would have to be shelved indefinitely but that the department had put forward a case to Infrastructure Australia for a Commonwealth-funded CBD Metro.
By Daniel Garrun
