George St will gain a light rail, according to the state government, but plans for transport tentacles leading to and from the city have yet to be decided. The proposed light rail is supported by both the City of Sydney and Randwick Council but has ignited mixed reactions within the community.
Other routes aimed to connect the city centre with the eastern suburbs include running along Oxford St, Campbell St or Devonshire St.
All three options would link up with Anzac Pde, shuttling people between the CBD and Randwick’s major institutions. In a statement, the Mayor of Randwick, Scott Nash, said the rail system would help to mobilise millions.
“Light rail to Randwick would provide a dedicated public transport service for 42,000 UNSW students, 13,200 hospital and uni workers, 11,000 resident commuters, 7,000 TAFE students, 400,000 race-goers and millions more people who go to concerts, games and events at the sporting stadiums and Centennial Parks.”
Executive committee member of the 2010 Business Partnership, Sue Ritchie said: “The way light rail is described, it doesn’t sound like a light rail, it sounds like heavy rail on a road, moving volumes.”
“We need to understand as a community, the objective of the light-rail system is aiming to serve Randwick Council, its university and hospital. If it intends to use Oxford St as a corridor, then it will make it more as a highway.”
Labor Councillor Meredith Burgmann said a light rail would overcrowd surface traffic and be too slow-moving. “I just don’t understand why we aren’t doing a metro,” she said.
“Cities where [light rail] has worked well are those with wide streets. Sydney’s are narrow and windy.” “The reason why I support a metro is because it doesn’t impinge on surface traffic.”
“The metro would have five openings to every carriage and the trains would come every five minutes so you wouldn’t need a timetable.”
The Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said: “Up to 80,000 people drive to events at the Moore Park sport grounds and Randwick Racecourse on the weekend … a light rail to the eastern suburbs will relieve the pressure, and help staff and students get to the hospitals, and students to UNSW … light rail can carry up to 8000 people an hour.”
But some community members are concerned the new line would rocket past tourist areas like Oxford St instead of facilitating a leisurely experience. It’s an internationally recognised destination and attracts people with its creativity and individuality,” Ms Ritchie said.
“My understanding of what they want to do s from reading press releases from Randwick Council. That’s all the information I have because there has been no community consultation,” he said.
“Hopefully, it will not be imposed on people and we all have to offer the fallout.”
The state Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, will finalise the routes by mid 2012 after hosting a series of round table discussions with the City of Sydney, Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust, Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, Australian Turf Club and NIDA.
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