Greens sceptical of Coalition light rail plan

MP Lord Mayor Clover Moore has welcomed last weeks’ announcement by the Coalition to extend Sydney’s light rail network from Central railway station to the University of New South Wales at Kensington, via Taylor Square and Anzac Parade.

She is confident the Coalition’s proposal will drastically improve traffic flow in Sydney’s east.

“Light rail to Moore Park and beyond to UNSW will solve longstanding traffic congestion during major events,” she said. “Games and concerts at the sporting stadia and former Showgrounds cause serious traffic gridlock and patrons spend large amounts of time stuck in congestion trying to get home.”

The Lord Mayor has been a long standing supporter of greater light rail.

She has previously backed the government’s proposal of a route from Central to Circular Quay along George Street; an alternative she believes will remove long queues of buses, reduce vehicle congestion and ease pollution along the CBD’s main thoroughfare.

“I have long called for the Government to seriously examine extending light rail further into the city centre and we stand ready to contribute funding and to work cooperatively to deliver a new light rail network,” she said.

“One light rail carriage can replace three buses or 50 cars and is greener, quieter, faster, more reliable and more accessible. It will reduce congestion on our City roads as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Coalition Transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian said they will fund a feasibility study to examine options for the proposed line.

She was unable to comment on how much the project would cost or on the timetable for its construction.

“The timeframe for these proposals would be dependent on the feasibility study,” she said.

Despite approval from the City of Sydney, the announcement was met with scepticism from the Greens, who were equally critical of the Labor government’s approach to light rail.

Marrickville Mayor and Greens candidate for the seat of Marrickville in the upcoming state election, Fiona Byrne, said a more comprehensive transport plan is needed, not more studies and re-announcements.

“We need more than a piecemeal approach and election stunts. We need a plan and some vision to make light rail viable and get more cars off the road in Sydney,” she said, also in reference to Labor’s recently unveiled light rail plan to extend the network further into the inner west to Dulwich Hill.

“In an election stunt last week, Labor re-announced a light rail project that had already begun construction. The Coalition’s study will just go from Central to UNSW.”

The Greens continue to push for a “comprehensive light rail link” – an extension of the line currently under construction – between Dulwich Hill and Coogee which they say should ultimately join up with a Central to Coogee line.

Last Saturday, the Greens also launched their cycling and pedestrian plan for the NSW election at Hyde Park. With a strong focus on active travel, the plan – branded ‘Changing how we move’ – is geared towards making Sydney’s roads more pedestrian and cycle-friendly.