Wollongong does not feature on the federal government's national high speed rail (HSR) network due to tunnels that were "basically unconstructable", said a spokesman for federal minister Anthony Albanese.
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Earlier this week, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport released a report that detailed the government's preferred HSR route.
The route bypassed Wollongong in favour of a stop in the Southern Highlands.
The report said that choosing the Wollongong alignment over the Southern Highlands would cost $7.3 billion more.
The topography posed a problem for a rail line, requiring a 15 kilometre tunnel from the top of the escarpment into Wollongong and a 22 kilometre tunnel south of Dapto to accommodate a change in elevation.
These tunnels would pass through coal seams that the report said "present the risk of explosive methane gas during construction and operation of the railway."
There was also no way of sealing off the tunnel from methane gas, prompting the possibility of regular line closures.
These tunnels were the reasons the government didn't opt for a route through Wollongong.
"A lot of work was put into whether or not it was possible but, based on current engineering, a tunnel to Wollongong is unconstructable," Mr Albanese's spokesman said.
"It was given serious consideration but it is impossible to construct a tunnel, given the methane from the coal seam gas."
Interim chief executive of the Illawarra Business Chamber Mike Halloran was disappointed that the Illawarra was missing out.
"This means the potential economic benefits across the Illawarra from HSR will not be realised and our large commuter population are unlikely to benefit," Mr O'Halloran said.
"While this decision reflects the environmental and engineering challenges associated with the escarpment and the presence of coal seam gas areas, it puts the onus back on NSW government to deliver on infrastructure and timetabling improvements to reduce travel times along the Illawarra line."
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery agreed that the focus should be on the existing rail line to Sydney.
Cr Bradbery said upgrading the existing rail line between Wollongong and Sydney would be of more immediate benefit to the region.
He said improving that line would improve travel times for rail users now and, should HSR come to fruition, could also be used as an "entry point" to that network.
Throsby MP Stephen Jones, whose electorate covers both the Illawarra and Southern Highlands, said the report did not mean Wollongong would be cut out.
"If the final alignment goes through the Southern Highlands and doesn't divert through the Illawarra, then we should have a conversation about how we can get a spur line from the Illawarra up to the high speed rail link on the Highlands," he said.