Prime Minister Julia Gillard has pledged $1 billion towards the WestConnex road project in western Sydney – with strings attached.
As she begins her mini-campaign in Sydney's west, Ms Gillard said her pledge towards the NSW state government project comes with three conditions – including that the existing M4 motorway remains toll free, the plan must include a freight link to Port Botany to remove trucks from suburban roads and a CBD tunnel link must be built to connect the west to the city.
Following a $1.5 billion commitment from Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Ms Gillard has announced the federal government is ready to commit the funds to the NSW state government's WestConnex project, according News Ltd.
She told Channel Nine on Monday that she wanted a transport plan that got people to the city, got freight to the port and didn't mean people paid tolls on roads they now used for free.
''Too many times people are just stuck in traffic, not going to get home to see their kids while the kids are still up, losing too much of their day in the transit to and from work,'' she said. ''So I want to see that made easier.''
The 33-kilometre tollway would link the M4 to the airport, Port Botany and the M5 East.
It's expected to cost about $10 billion, with 75 per cent to come from tolls and $1.8 billion from the state government.
As well as moving freight from western Sydney to Port Botany, it aims to ease the burden on western Sydney motorists.
Provisions for Commonwealth funding for the WestConnex are expected to be made in the next multibillion-dollar national infrastructure program to begin 2014-2015.
Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare – who holds the western Sydney seat of Blaxland – said that the WestConnex was much needed.
''[It's] something that should have been done a long time ago,'' he said.
On Sunday Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney's Auburn: ''I say to the Prime Minister, if she's fair dinkum about doing the right thing by the people of western Sydney this week, commit to WestConnex.''
On Monday, Mr Abbott tweeted that he was stuck in traffic on the M4 Sydney's west.
''It's typical bumper-to-bumper peak hour,'' he said on Twitter on Monday.
''That's why I've pledged $1.5 billion for the WestConnex missing link.''
with AAP
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