Labor promises to slash Airport access fee to encourage train travel

CATCHING a train to the airport from the Illawarra should be a no-brainer however the cost has been prohibitive with many choosing to travel by car instead, adding to the road congestion around the airport.

The NSW Opposition will slash the access fee for train passengers and scrap it altogether for the more than 30,000 people who work at the airport if elected to government at the March election.

The NSW Labor commitment means that northern suburbs residents travelling to and from the airport who currently pay an access fee of $14.30 will instead have the fee slashed to $5. Adding to the announcement, Labor will completely slash the fee for the 30,000 people who work at the airport.

State MP for Keira Ryan Park said immediate action is needed to reduce the traffic congestion around the airport.

“The solution won’t be found by funnelling more cars onto the already congested roads,” he said.

“The solution to congestion around Sydney Airport is moving people onto public transport, but local residents tell me just how unaffordable the train fare is for them.

“The NSW Government can and should reduce the fee today, rather than wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on Sydney stadiums.”