The council said it had been told by the Government that a proposed feasibility study for a rail link did not extend beyond Parramatta.

The Federal Government is funding the $20million study into the West Metro Line proposal for a fast train from central station, through Parramatta and Penrith. A fast rail link could halve the journey time from Penrith to the Sydney CBD a 28-minute trip compared with the current 48 to 74 minutes.

Penrith Mayor Greg Davies said the decision ignored the needs of more than a million people in western Sydney already under-serviced by public transport. ``They're taking options out before they've even started the study,'' he said. ``We could expect increases in population in the next 25 years.''

Cr Davies has written to Premier Morris Iemma and Transport Minister John Watkins suggesting they meet to discuss alternatives. ``We're destined to travel by car all the time. With high petrol prices, increased tolls on the M4 and global warming I'd think they'd be trying to get people out of their cars and onto the trains.''

Opposition leader Barry O'Farrell said the Government had ``abandoned'' western Sydney residents. ``The Penrith fast-train proposal has merit and should at least be considered,'' he said.

``Before the last state election the Government gave clear indications that it'd go ahead clearly they did lie.''

Transport Minister John Watkins said a decision on the private proposal would be made soon but would only commit to a line linking Parramatta to Sydney. ``The Iemma Government has committed to a joint $30million feasibility study with the Commonwealth Government for a Western Metro Line linking Parramatta to the Sydney CBD,'' he said.

``The existing Western line is Sydney's busiest, with both road and rail from that part of the city approaching capacity. The proposed Western Metro would increase public transport capacity for the people of Western Sydney.''

Cr Davies said the Government was contradicting itself to not include NSW's fastest growth region. ``Penrith's designation as a regional city in the metro strategy was recognition of our current and future role in providing infrastructure and services to a broader catchment as well and was meant to ensure we'd receive appropriate infrastructure and investment at a level commensurate with that stature.''