The University of Sydney will be working with the NSW Government to build a metro stop on their Camperdown campus to ease travel for students. This plan falls under Sydney’s Metro West Line from Parramatta to CBD, with considerations of adding more stops on the route.
USyd Vice Chancellor Mark Scott expressed fervent support for the project — “We have always strongly advocated for a station at the University which would serve our students, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and health precinct as well as the local community – the need for this is greater than ever and if there are new conversations about the Sydney Metro West line then we are absolutely interested in having them.”
According to Student Representative Council President Lia Perkins, a metro stop “could do well” but the University needs better solutions.
“It’s important to note the other barriers that students accessing campus – in a discriminatory policy of the NSW Government, international students (and part time domestic students) are deemed ineligible for concession Opal cards doubling the cost of public transport.
“Many more international students are living in Western Sydney as the cost of housing in the inner city has skyrocketed and the University has sold off large amounts of housing stock. We would like the University to act on these other urgent crises for students, or their lobbying attempts for the metro stop will fall short of what students need,” said Perkins.
The project is currently being reviewed by the independent Sydney Metro Review. NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said, “The Government commissioned the Mrdak Yeates Review of Sydney Metro to put the project back on the rails and we’ve put all the options on the table. The final report is due in October and will examine Metro West in detail.”
