With cities around Australia vying for the Sydney Monorail, local resident, Adrian Schaffer, believes Kingswood should be in the race too.
Last month the State Government announced it had purchased the company that owns the monorail, Metro Transport Sydney, and would be removing the monorail to make way for a new Sydney Exhibition Centre.
Hobart and Canberra have already expressed interest in the second-hand monorail, but Mr Schaffer said it would be a great addition to Penrith if the monorail could be used to connect the University of Western Sydney (UWS), Nepean Hospital and TAFE to Kingswood Railway Station.
“It would be a real coup for Barry O’Farrell and our local member, Stuart Ayres, if the monorail was relocated to Kingswood,” he said.
Mr Schaffer suggested that the monorail complete a circle around the hospital before travelling down the Great Western Highway to complete a circuit through the UWS Kingswood Campus, Penrith Campus and TAFE site following existing roads.
On Monday, Mr Schaffer spent his day at the railway station asking locals what they thought of his idea – he believes there would be overwhelming support.
“I spoke to doctors and nurses, university and TAFE students, patients and business people. They all thought it would be a great idea and asked me why it hasn’t been done already,” he said.
“Many of the nurses said that late at night it was a concern having to walk to the train station and students told me they have to wait for friends to finish class so that they can travel together.”
It would also complement the Penrith Council’s WELL Precinct plans and UWS’s proposal for a business park at the Werrington South campus.
Council has been contacted for comment.
