Delivering on this commitment will change the day to day lives for our commuters sitting on services like the busy 7-05 train from Gosford to the city. It will help make life easier, more productive and hopefully more enjoyable when travelling to work and back to the Coast Monday to Friday.
It will mean that on the commute home, mothers, fathers and grandparents will be able to call their loved ones, knowing that the reception won’t drop out.
That is why I am so pleased to report to Central Coast Business Access readers that our hardworking commuters will start to experience improved services by the end of 2018.
We have ticked off the next milestone in this plan for a better commute for people living on the Central Coast with the Commonwealth and NSW Government already having signed the project agreement and that the tender process is underway as we speak.
The Coalition Government has committed $12M alongside $4M from the NSW Government to deliver improved mobile and internet connectivity on station platforms and in trains between Hornsby and Wyong.
The Federal Minister for Communications and I are working closely with the NSW Government, which has responsibility for managing the complex planning, site access, power availability and safety-related issues, to deliver continuous mobile coverage for Central Coast Commuters as soon as possible.
Blackspots and reception drop outs have been an ongoing issue for commuters along the Central Coast rail corridor.
We’ve already scoped many of the challenges of this project - which commuters know all too well because they see it out their carriage window every day.
This includes the picturesque but difficult topography, with mountainous terrain, river crossings and no less than seven tunnels – which will require a carefully designed mobile network solution to address.
For this reason we have specified that the tender asks respondents to put forward solutions to ensure timely delivery of the project despite these challenges.
We expect this tender process to be highly competitive, ensuring that this project is delivered for our commuters sooner rather than later with construction due to commence following the outcome of the competitive tender process.
Mobile black spots
We are also delivering mobile black spot coverage in Calga and Peats Ridge with a new mobile base station located on Peats Ridge Road, four kilometres off the M1. This will be particularly important to people living on the Coast that are commuting by car.
The new mobile base station was completed by Optus and is the latest of five specific sites across the electorate of Robertson to receive new or improved mobile coverage under the program.
Switching on dedicated mobile coverage was particularly important to the residents in this region because it will help boost community safety in the area by ensuring that Calga has access to vital emergency services which have previously not been possible.
This site is in addition to the improved mobile coverage already delivered in parts of Mangrove Mountain, Mangrove Creek, Mount White, and Somersby on the Central Coast.
We have recently committed another $25M to this highly successful program for a fourth round. This means that we can continue to delivering more mobile coverage for people living, working, travelling through living in regional communities like the Central Coast.
Mobile coverage in 2018 is an essential service, particularly in regions like the Central Coast, and I know that this is a very important commitment, that we will continue to deliver on for our region.
Lucy Wicks is federal member for Robertson.
