Sydney Urgently Needs Light Rail in the CBD

16 October 2009

Sydney's productivity is a matter of national importance. Our transport system is key to that productivity and to securing Australia's economic future, with the City of Sydney generating GDP of about $74 billion in 2007/08, one twelfth of the national economy and one quarter of NSW GDP.

Sydney's physical constraints make light rail the best solution for our congested CBD, complementing the proposed Metro and current heavy rail services, to help move more than 1,000,000 people who are in the City of Sydney each week day.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said Sydney's CBD is constrained by the harbour on the sides, physical barriers such as raised highways and rail lines (including the Cahill Expressway and Western Distributor) and dominated by tall buildings that limit the flow of traffic, leaving light rail as the best option for Sydney's public transport needs.

"The city centre is compromised by poor transport planning. Traffic light phasing, traffic-clogged streets and growing bus congestion make it hard to get around. Large physical barriers also block access to our stunning waterfront areas and have serious amenity impacts," Ms Moore said.

"Without light rail Sydney will remain dominated by a severely inefficient and overcrowded bus network, and increasingly severe traffic congestion. A connected network of public transport that includes bus interchange, light rail, heavy rail and Metro is critical," Ms Moore said.

"Light rail should be viewed as complementary to other modes of transport, not in competition."

A George Street light rail service would also benefit Sydney tourism and cultural life, by linking Barangaroo, the Rocks and Circular Quay to the retail core, Town Hall, Chinatown and Haymarket. This route would provide a stunning link for our major cultural institutions, celebrating our City's harbour foreshore. A highly visible north-south light rail link would alleviate confusion that often characterises tourist patronage of commuter bus routes within the CBD.

"A light rail network would complement the State Government's Metro and reduce overcrowding on bus services, and can be deployed quickly to substantially increase Sydney's public transport capacity," Ms Moore said.

Inner Sydney is growing at a faster rate than metropolitan Sydney and by 2030 the City's population is expected to increase from 175,000 to 245,000. This is a higher growth rate than any other metropolitan sub-region except the South West, with employment in the City also expected to increase from 370,000 to 465,000.

Light rail expert Garry Glazebrook calculates that in contrast to buses in the city, light rail will lead to long-term savings in operating costs and could be implemented quickly at low cost. Preferred modes of transport should reflect capacity and density requirements, and in the City Centre, there is a strong argument for light rail to supplement bus services. Dr Garry Glazebrook analysed mass transport services in over 100 other world cities whose population or situation is comparable to Sydney. In the United Kingdom, Europe and even in the United State of America, the home of the motor car, hundreds of cities have been reinvigorated and transformed through modern light rail and similar mass transit systems.

Recent data from the UK-based Global and World Cities Project placed Sydney as the sixth most globally connected city in the world, part of a strong and growing set of East Asian and Chinese cities. Our Asian neighbours recognise the value of transport infrastructure, with cities such as Singapore and Shanghai investing billions in public transport including a combination of heavy rail, Metro and light rail, with appropriate interchanges.

For a copy of the City's submission on public transport for Sydney, contact Amy Glancey.

Media contact: Amy Glancey (02) 9265 9082 or 0428 653 449