NSW Liberal Leader Peter Debnam and Shadow Minister for Transport Barry O’Farrell said today the Labor Government’s re-announcement of the North West Rail Link shows Premier Iemma is not interested in solving the state's transport problems.

“All Premier Iemma is interested in doing is re-announcing plans originally issued in 1998,” Mr Debnam said.

"Premier Iemma is about fixing headlines not fixing the real problems," he said.

“The Labor Government has announced this plan on at least five previous occasions:
• 23 November 1998
• 10 March 2002
• 4 June 2002
• 9 June 2005
• 4 December 2005
• and now again today

"The only that has changed in all these re-announcements in the price tag. Every year they do nothing, the projected cost goes up," Mr Debnam said.

“In 1998, Labor told the community it had a ‘fully funded, ten-year construction plan’ to deliver the North West Rail Link by 2010. But the rapidly expanding suburbs of North Western Sydney will now have to wait until 2017 to get their rail link under Labor.

“The community now recognises this Labor Government has a track record of promising the transport earth and delivering very little,” he said.

Shadow Minister for Transport Barry O’Farrell said Labor had been promising the ‘fast tracking’ of public transport corridors to the north west as far back as July 1997.

“Under Labor’s timetable it will take at least 19 years to build 19 kilometres of track between Beecroft and Rouse Hill,” Mr O’Farrell said.

“The growing car dependency in the North West now means many people spend more time in their car than they do with their families.

“Until the Labor Government commits to providing new public transport infrastructure when and where it’s needed, residents and commuters will continue to suffer,” Mr O’Farrell said.