The NSW Treasurer Mike Baird yesterday threw his support behind a move to slash train travel times to Sydney.
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This week Infrastructure NSW (INSW) released its 20-year strategy for government spending.
One of the key recommendations was that work begin on cutting the travel time from Sydney to Wollongong to an hour.
This could be achieved through faster trains, improved timetabling and express trains with fewer stops.
While stating that he wasn't aware INSW was considering a shorter train trip, Mr Baird said it was an initiative he supported.
"The thing I'm most excited for the region is the hour train trip," Mr Baird said.
"My immediate response is that that's something that could transform the Illawarra.
"There's clearly a lot of work that needs to be done to bring it up but I certainly think it should be pursued with vigour.
"I think getting that commute to an hour is ambitious but an incredibly worthwhile pursuit. If you go to big cities around the world, the hour mark is where the commuting stops.
"If you can get a commute down to an hour there is a huge economic impact."
The report also raised concerns that the cost estimates for the Princes Highway upgrade to the Jervis Bay turn-off were high and recommended they be reviewed. But Mr Baird said that this did not place the upgrade in jeopardy.
"The government needs to consider the report from Infrastructure NSW but the Premier was down here a week ago looking at the first stage - that's underway," he said.
"The important thing is that we've committed to building it and we are doing it."
In terms of the recommendations for the Illawarra - and for other regions - Mr Baird said the government would release a report in December outlining the details of funding for various projects.
"We will now consider them and come back in detail about when and how we think the various projects are going to start," he said.
"I do caution, and I caution in every part of the state, patience is a virtue. We now have a detailed plan but we do have significant constraints on our finances. I'm not going to set us up on something we can't afford."
