Federal Member for Chifley Ed Husic has joined three Western Sydney mayors and a large crowd of community members to call for the Metro rail “missing link” between Tallawong and St Marys to be built.

The former NSW Coalition Government ended the Metro line at Tallawong despite booming residential growth across north-west Sydney.

At a major rally in Marsden Park, residents called for the missing link to be completed, making it easier for people to travel to work and move around the region.

The rally brought together the mayors of Blacktown City, The Hills Shire and Penrith, representing rapidly growing communities where transport infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth.

The case for extending the Metro line to St Marys received a boost earlier this year when Infrastructure Australia listed the rail connection as a priority project.

The NSW Government has committed $40 million to develop a business case for the project.

Completing the missing Metro link would not only deliver a major public transport boost but also help transform the area through the development of the Marsden Park CBD, connecting residents with businesses and employment opportunities.

Mr Husic has lobbied for the Metro extension for seven years, arguing that the community deserves a greater share of infrastructure investment. Thousands of residents have signed his Build the Missing Metro Link petition.

Mr Husic described the former NSW Government’s decision to end the Metro line at Tallawong as bizarre and short-sighted.

“We’ve got a chance to fix this mistake, and Infrastructure Australia agrees that it should happen,” Mr Husic said.

“Booming communities deserve better public transport options. This will only happen with Federal Government investment to support any move by the NSW Government to extend the Metro through this key area of Western Sydney.

“This investment will be crucial to unlocking economic and commercial growth in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, creating local jobs and supporting the development of a future Marsden Park CBD.”

Blacktown City Mayor Brad Bunting said the missing Metro link was essential infrastructure for one of the fastest-growing parts of New South Wales.

“Population growth across north-west Sydney has been enormous, but the transport connections our communities rely on have not kept pace,” Mayor Bunting said.

“Residents are already feeling that pressure every day, whether they are trying to find parking at Tallawong Station, get to work or travel between north-west and Western Sydney.

“Connecting Tallawong to St Marys would give our communities better access to jobs, education and services across Sydney, link them directly to the Western Sydney Airport Metro and take pressure off local roads.

“The $40 million business case must be the start, not the finish. Our communities need a clear commitment to fund and build the missing link.”

Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne, said the link was crucial, with the combined population of The Hills, Blacktown and Penrith expected to increase by almost 70 per cent by 2041.

“No community has had to shoulder the burden of growth more than Sydney’s north-west, and it’s high time this rail link was completed,” Mayor Byrne said.

“We know it’s a costly project, but that’s nothing compared with the cost of doing nothing in the face of the greatest growth in our region’s history.

“If the State and Federal governments expect The Hills and Blacktown to accommodate the biggest housing targets in the state, they need to provide an infrastructure budget to match.”