Nobbling the light rail extension

Public transport advocates believe they have spotted tangible evidence that elements within the NSW bureaucracy have been working against the Metro Light Rail extension to Dulwich Hill from its current Lilyfield terminus.

A Leichhardt Council campaign to utilise redundant rail freight tracks for the line gained such traction in the inner west that the state government arranged a taskforce to put the plan into effect.

The sudden change surprised transport watchers as the NSW Treasury is widely thought to regard public transport as an expense to be minimised, favouring road development as “an investment”.

But moves to have a condition imposed on the plan for a “tram stop” every 700 metres, even in areas where there are no residents or commercial activity, is seen as an attempt to nobble the light rail project.  This would slow the service and drive up costs.

Treasury prepares estimates of expenditure on all rail proposals.  The quote for the Dulwich Hill “extension” is said to be staggering considering that the rails are the correct width and the electrical overhead is suitable requiring only a reduction in voltage.

Modifications are confined to track directional switches (“points”) adjusted for the smaller wheels, provision of turnback trackage at Dulwich Hill and low platforms to be erected at stops.

But over-quoting and inflated quotes are one way to kill off a project.

And a decision to deny the service any opportunity to interchange with the inner west railway line at Lewisham or with the many bus routes along Parramatta Road is also undermining the plan.  According to a Herald report last week, former staffers of the axed Metro project are behind the bizarre conditions.

Light rail has not had many friends in the state parliament. A former Transport Minister claimed in parliament that trams could only travel at eight km/h, were “low capacity” and all traffic would have to be removed from city streets. Visitors to Melbourne can testify none of this is true. Newer segmented light rail vehicles carry over 150 passengers. More than 100 cities worldwide, including Melbourne and Adelaide, are introducing or extending existing light rail.
– BY PETER McCALLUM