Joint Media Statement: Preferred corridor for proposed M12 Motorway announced

A preferred corridor has been selected for Western Sydney’s new M12 Motorway following a community consultation period earlier this year.

Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher said the motorway would provide a direct link from the M7 Motorway to the proposed Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek.

“Western Sydney Airport will be a game changer for Western Sydney, providing more jobs closer to where people live and around $1.9 billion in value-add for the Western Sydney economy during the construction phase alone,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The M12 is the next major project in the $3.6 billion Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan, which will transform road connections and capitalise on the economic benefits of a Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek – we are pushing forward to the next stage of this vital project.

“Today we are unveiling the preferred route for the M12 Motorway, which outlines a 16-kilometre link providing direct access to the planned airport.

“Key benefits of this modified route include the connection it will provide to The Northern Road, an improved link with the M7 Motorway by connecting south of Elizabeth Drive, and the reduced impact on recreational facilities within the Western Sydney Parklands.”

New South Wales Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Duncan Gay said future planning for the project would seek to further reduce the impact of the motorway on the local community.

“The preferred corridor route, which is currently around 300 metres wide, will be further refined during the preliminary design process to around half this width,” Mr Gay said.

“This announcement is about making sure we take the necessary steps to cater for one of the fastest growing regions in the country where a further one million people are expected to reside in the next 20 years.

“Once complete, the motorway will improve access to future residential and commercial development areas, including the Western Sydney Priority Growth Area around the planned Western Sydney Airport site.

“It’s vital we continue to plan essential road and transport infrastructure in advance of people moving into the area.”

The next stage for the M12 Motorway project is to develop a specific alignment and assess the environmental impacts of the project. A further round of community consultation is planned for mid-2017.

The motorway is expected to be completed before the planned Western Sydney Airport opens in the mid-2020s.

Information on the M12 Motorway modified orange corridor route, including details of the development process, is available at www.rms.nsw.gov.au/m12motorway.