Monorail bids farewell

After 25 years of service, the Sydney Monorail will be making its final loop through the city on Sunday before it is decomissioned.

The removal of the monorail and its infrastructure will enable the State Government to develop Sydney’s International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct in Darling Harbour. The move comes prior to the expansion of the Inner West Light Rail network.

NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said the decision to decommission the monorail was partially a financial one.

“The monorail is not integrated with Sydney’s wider public transport network and has never been truly embraced by the community and we can’t justify the costly upgrades required to keep it running,” she said.

The $176 million dollar new light rail network will be in operation by early 2014. Associate Professor Garry Glazenbrook of the Institute of Sustainable Futures light rail is a more viable option.

“It will be a much more serious transport system [than the monorail] and will transform the city,” he said.

Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich explained that the new light rail system would be accessible to those with disabilities.

“All the benefits of the monorail will be in the light rail, but we won’t have the eyesore on the eye level of the CBD,” he said.

Last year, the State Government purchased Metro Transport Sydney, the company which owns both the monorail and light rail network in Sydney.

An iconic landmark, the Sydney Monorail has been in operation since 1988 and was a bicentenary gift to Sydney. It was designed to link Darling Harbour to the CBD but critics claim light rail is a more cost effective and practical solution to inner city transport.

Sydney Monorail is encouraging people to take advantage of the opportunity to farewell a piece of history. A public ballot will be held to determine 24 winners who will get the chance to take part in the monorail’s final historic journey.

Children’s activities and entertainment is planned for this weekend. For more information about tickets and registering for the public ballot visit www.sydneymonorail.com.au