Federal rail funding for NSW in jeopardy

March 8 (AAP)-Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese is pressuring the NSW opposition to commit to a $2.6 billion rail project if it wins the state election, or risk losing the funds.
Transport issues dominated the state election campaign on Tuesday with NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell leading the way with a $350 million pledge to widen a congested section of one of Sydney's main motorways.
But the day ended with the Parramatta-to-Epping rail link project, which has already secured $2.1 billion in federal and $500 million in state Labor government funding.
Mr O'Farrell says if he wins government he will defer the construction of the link, stretching from Sydney's west to the northwest, in favour of completing new rail lines in the northwest and southwest.
"Getting rail links out into those areas which aren't served by rail is our key priority," he told an economic forum in Parramatta.
Mr O'Farrell said an incoming Liberal-National state government would be happy to sit down with Mr Albanese to discuss Sydney's transport needs.
"It would be possible to talk to him ... and the prime minister about the mandate an incoming Liberal-National government would have," he said.
He said it was understandable that Mr Albanese had sided with NSW Premier Kristina Keneally on the project, despite Labor having had years to get it up and running.
"Anthony Albanese understandably has support for his side ...," Mr O'Farrell said.
Speaking later outside the same forum, Mr Albanese accused Mr O'Farrell, who is expected to win the March 26 election, of arrogance.
"It's extraordinary that he would suggest that, at the same time he says Labor has broken promises, that we should break another one," he told reporters.
"We made a commitment to the Parramatta-to-Epping rail link."
Mr Albanese, who has previously said the funds for the project won't be diverted, implied the government could ask for its money back.
"We've got a budget coming up in May, so the decisions will be made pretty quickly depending upon the outcome of the March state election," he added.
Mr O'Farrell on Tuesday also announced a $350 million plan to fast-track the widening of the M5 motorway in Sydney's southwest to six lanes, from four, between Camden Valley Way and King Georges Road, to deliver on an unfulfilled Labor promise.
There would be no increase in tolls but the term of a contract with the operator, Interlink, would be extended by four years from 2023 to pay for the infrastructure.
"We will sit down with the operators of the M5 to agree on terms to widen the road and give motorists some relief," Mr O'Farrell said.
But Ms Keneally said it was not good value for money because the tolling extension would collect more than the new roadway would cost.
"That would equate to collecting some $680 million for the private-sector company - to build a $350 million road," she said.
Also on Tuesday, Ms Keneally toured Sydney in her "Fairness for Families" campaign bus.
She announced new spending measures including $5 million for a Major Carnival and Raceday Fund to promote the state's racing industry and a $15.6 million package of measures designed to combat domestic and sexual violence, including a GPS tracking scheme for high-risk offenders.
A re-elected Labor government would also spend $16 million to expand an existing program of home maternity nursing visits, targeting socially and economically disadvantaged families.
Labor also pledged $800,000 for the Australian Breastfeeding Association over four years to encourage and support breastfeeding in rural areas.
As well, it promised that by 2012 half of all people sitting on state government boards and committees would be female.
Ms Keneally's bus will head to the Illawarra region on the NSW south coast on Wednesday.