Petition for light rail in CBD

A petition for light rail in the CBD is gaining widespread support in wake of the State Government’s proposal to build a bus station under Wynyard Station to ease traffic congestion.

Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive Paul Broad said addressing the CBD’s congestion is part of a 20-year strategy to improve transport and economic growth.

“We need to decongest our global city if we are to increase productivity and grow the economy,” he said.

“What the Sydney CBD needs is transformation through a mixture of operational reforms and capital investment in public transport. Much can be achieved through incremental and operational bus improvements, many of which have been identified in the Long Term Transport Master Plan.

“We concluded that the best approach for the Sydney CBD is to make the most of existing, under-optimised transport modes before introducing additional modes such as light rail.”

The CBD Transit Improvement Plan involves construction of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bypass tunnel for CBD bus services to take most peak buses off congested streets and would also involve providing bus/rail underground inter changes at redeveloped Wynyard and Town Hall stations at an estimated cost of $2 billion.

Co-convenor of Eco Transit Sydney, Gavin Gatenby said the proposal for an underground bus station would not suffice as a transport solution for the CBD, impinging on future transport planning.

“The bus plan is ludicrous,” he said. “Technically it would be retrograde and involves diesel fumes underground and toxic air pollution. Air ventilation would be required and there are only two stops … we need a high capacity distribution system, which is what the light rail would provide.

“The bus plan would also block the possibility of heavy rail tracks along Pitt St and we need this in order to increase the capacity of city rail by 50 per cent which is important for future planning.”

According to the Long Term Transport Master Plan, the best performing route for light rail is through the Sydney CBD and connects to the University of NSW via Surry Hills. Within the CBD, this would include the light rail operating within George St.

Leading the push to pressure the government with a petition, Mr Gatenby said the light rail is ready to come to fruition.

“The petition already has massive support from over 1300 people within the first week of its launch,” he said. “The light rail will transform George St into a pedestrian and cycle-friendly light rail boulevard helping to revitalise the city and decongest traffic. The people of Sydney say this is necessary and are showing their support.”

A spokesperson for Transport NSW said “the government will formally respond to the SIS by the end of the year”.