Following appointments to it’s board, the High Speed Rail Authority has officially begun work on Tuesday to provide faster rail connections between Newcastle and Sydney.
$500 million has been set aside for the board, which is being lead by Andrew Hyles, to undertake planning and corridor works between the two largest cities in New South Wales.
Once operation it’s expected journeys will be cut down to under an hour between Newcastle and Sydney, and will then be expanded to cover the east coast of Australia.
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King says high speed rail will revolutionise interstate travel along the eastern seaboard.
“Providing a fast alternative for people to move between cities and regional centres, promoting sustainable settlement patterns and creating broad economic benefits for regional centres.
“This is a transformational project that has the ability to touch the lives of all Australians, particularly in our regions.
“The network could allow passengers to travel between major cities and regional centres at speeds exceeding 250 kilometres per hour,” Ms King said.