I am having trouble posting comments on this thread. Some are accepted and some aren't.  I keep getting a message "Post Mode not specified".  Can anyone help?  I hope this gets through.

Test:
Sometimes I have problems, don't know why, just seems to hit a wall. Press "back" then try again!

The released City Circle paths are more likely to be taken up by increased demand from the South West, including the new rail link, via both the Airport Line and the East Hills Line express tracks via Sydenham, maintaining sectorisation.  It could also potentially include the Hurstville all stations services, leaving the Illawarra Main/ESR tracks exclusively for Cronulla, Waterfall and South Coast Intercity services.  Nothing is left for any increase in Sector 3 services which has the most urgent need for increased capacity, particularly now that there will also be increased demand from the Northern Line, with all upper Northern Line services to be redirected to the city via Strathfield after the opening of the NWRL.

I reiterate, conversion of the Bankstown Line to Rapid Transit operation is a complete waste of money when it is currently so underutilized.  What possible justification could there be to so dramatically increase its carrying capacity to way beyond its likely foreseeable demand?

It's just a cheap alternative to extending the NWRL Rapid Transit across the harbour, rather than constructing a connection to a completely new  separate Rapid Transit Line, such as the previously proposed West Metro to Parramatta and Westmead, when the demand is warranted.

I think this is where Luke Foley is coming from.  He's suggesting that the funds earmarked for the second harbour tunnel would be better spent on more pressing upgrades of the existing network.

The released City Circle paths are more likely to be taken up by increased demand from the South West, including the new rail link, via both the Airport Line and the East Hills Line express tracks via Sydenham, maintaining sectorisation.  It could also potentially include the Hurstville all stations services, leaving the Illawarra Main/ESR tracks exclusively for Cronulla, Waterfall and South Coast Intercity services.  Nothing is left for any increase in Sector 3 services which has the most urgent need for increased capacity, particularly now that there will also be increased demand from the Northern Line, with all upper Northern Line services to be redirected to the city via Strathfield after the opening of the NWRL.

I reiterate, conversion of the Bankstown Line to Rapid Transit operation is a complete waste of money when it is currently so underutilized.  What possible justification could there be to so dramatically increase its carrying capacity to way beyond its likely foreseeable demand?

It's just a cheap alternative to extending the NWRL Rapid Transit across the harbour, rather than constructing a connection to a completely new  separate Rapid Transit Line, such as the previously proposed West Metro to Parramatta and Westmead, when the demand is warranted.

I think this is where Luke Foley is coming from.  He's suggesting that the funds earmarked for the second harbour tunnel would be better spent on more pressing upgrades of the existing network.

Probably no argument on using the inner west over Bankstown. Must be a good reason it wasn't taken up, maybe cost? No reason cannot be added on later.


So what your saying is Luke Foley is right to cancel the 2nd harbor crossing? Yet your argument above is not the harbour crossing but the destination once it starts to leave the city.