Wollondilly Shire Council has welcomed a commitment from Labor leader Chris Minns to undertake a final business case to deliver the crucial rail line from Macarthur to the Western Sydney International Airport, matching the recent commitment of Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Opposition leader Chris Minns confirmed on the weekend that if elected, Labor would move ahead with two of the four metro rail business case plans announced by the Perrottet government; being the links from Macarthur and Glenfield to Bradfield and St Mary’s to Tallawong.

Those two projects would be prioritised to achieve a public transport ring around the city, completing the metro circle and connecting the main centres of Western Sydney to the Aerotropolis.

Wollondilly Council recently joined Campbelltown and Camden Councils to call on the opposition to match the NSW Government’s plan for the link from Macarthur to Bradfield.

Wollondilly Mayor Matt Gould said, “I’m thrilled that our calls for this vital rail link have been heard by both the Liberal and Labor party in the lead up to the NSW State election.”

“Wollondilly, Campbelltown and Camden Councils have been advocating for a direct rail line from the Macarthur region to the new airport to connect our residents to the jobs and infrastructure that will be generated.”

“With the growth facing our communities, public transport options to connect us to the airport are essential. The Macarthur region is expected to grow by more than 200,000 people over the next 15 years.”

“To complete the loop and ensure southwest Sydney is fully connected with the rest of the city, I also believe there is also a critical need to move forward with the business case plan for the Southwest Metro from Bankstown to Glenfield. The opposition should seriously consider this in their planning for the metro line.”

The new connection from Macarthur to the Aerotropolis will be made up of 23km of track, with potentially six or seven station locations along the route.

The final business case will provide the detailed design, economic assessment and cost estimation to inform an investment decision for construction of the metro extension.