Jo Haylen, Member for Summer Hill, today welcomed the announcement that a Foley Labor Government will deliver improved rail and bus services to Sydney Airport, to relieve the congestion nightmare around Australia’s busiest airport. 

During the budget reply speech, Opposition Leader Luke Foley announced the next Labor Government will enter into negotiations with the airport rail operator, ALC, to slash the airport access fee.

The fee is currently $13.40 for adults and $11 for pensioners and concession holders. Passengers then pay standard Opal charges on top.

Workers travelling to and from the airport regularly pay a maximum access charge of $25 per week.

Currently, a one-way adult fare from Central to the domestic or international terminal is $16.78. The costly fare for the short journey is a deterrent for passengers, and grossly unfair on 29,000 airport workers.

Labor would act to slash the access fee for passengers to $5, and scrap it all together for airport workers. 

Around 20 percent of airport users travel to the airport by public transport. Workers would be put back on an even keel with other rail commuters, paying standard Opal charges only.

Improving access to Sydney’s domestic and international terminals builds on the work of the last Labor Government which scrapped the access fee for Mascot and Green Square. Once the access fee was scrapped, patronage on the line doubled.

Labor would also introduce additional bus services to the airport, with the first being from Sutherland to the airport, which was promised by the Liberals in 2012 but is yet to be delivered.

Quotes attributable to Opposition Leader Luke Foley

“Action is needed to reduce the traffic congestion nightmare around the airport.

“Only around 20 percent of the airport’s users travel to or from the airport by public transport – the cost of the train is a serious deterrent.

“Workers and passengers going to Australia’s busiest airport shouldn’t be unfairly slugged for using public transport.

“Labor will slash the access fee for passengers and scrap it altogether for the 29,000 people who work at the airport.

“Four years ago the Government promised to do more to encourage public transport to Sydney Airport and yet nothing has been done."

Quotes attributable to Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Michael Daley

“There is still only one bus to the airport – the 400 from Burwood to Bondi Junction. The Government promised extra buses four years ago but we’re yet to see one new service.

“Labor removed the station access fees at Green Square and Mascot which led to a surge in people catching the train.”

Quotes attributable to Jo Haylen MP, Member for Summer Hill

“Inner west residents know better than most that the roads around the airport are regularly a carpark, filtering back onto local roads in our suburbs, like Tempe, Wolli Creek and Botany.

“The only way to deal with airport congestion is to get passengers and airport workers out of their cars and onto the train and I’m proud Labor has committed to reducing the Station Access Fee to $5.

“People would like to catch the train to the airport, but know it’s cheaper to get a cab if you have more than one person.  

“Reducing the Station Access Fee will get people on trains and put an end to the drain on productivity that comes from sitting in traffic in the inner west.”