Sydney Public Transport System, Australia

Sydney is the capital of the state of New South Wales, on the east coast of Australia. The city has a population of 4 million and a very comprehensive public transport system. Upgrades on many services occurred in preparation for Sydney hosting the Olympic Games in 2000. Modes of public transport in Sydney include:

Monorail: The Metro Monorail was opened in July 1988. It is one of only a few above-ground rail systems in the world that operates through the heart of a major city. The elevated circle line was a gift to Sydney in celebration of Australia's Bicentennial and is now one of the most popular ways of getting about, moving over 4 million passengers per year between Darling Harbour and the city centre. The Monorail is privately operated and funded by the Australian company, Metro Transport Sydney and is under a seven year management contract to Connex.

Metro Light Rail: This is Sydney's newest transport system, which started in August 1997 and was extended in 2000 to Sydney's inner west. Starting from Central Station, it is a modern tram line that runs along the harbour to the western parts of the centre. The Light Rail line is also operated by Connex. The system is 7.2km of standard gauge (1,435mm) dual track, 5.7km of which is a dedicated Right of Way (ROW) with the remainder being on a street running area. The system operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with services every 8-10 minutes during most of the day.

CityRail: CityRail is a suburban train service that runs underground throughout the centre of Sydney. Double-deck trains are most frequently used on all routes spreading out from the city centre as far as 60km to Richmond or 56km to MacArthur. Lines are bundled in the central area and offer a metro-like service with trains every few minutes. A new branch of the green line (East Hills Line) to the airport opened in time for the 2000 Olympic Games.

Ferries: Sydney Ferries have been operating in Sydney harbour for over 135 years. They offer regular services to over 37 wharves, including the suburb of Manly and the riverside city of Parramatta. In 2004, a new Sydney Ferries Corporation will manage the staff and operations of the current Sydney Ferries, which is a division of State Transit, the government bus and ferry body that runs services in Sydney and Newcastle. This decision was made in an attempt to arrest the increasing debts and low passenger numbers of recent years.

Buses: Buses in Sydney are operated by State Transit. Many enhancements to the already-comprehensive service are planned or ongoing.

In November 1988 'Action for Transport 2010' was launched by the government of New South Wales. A fully-funded programme of infrastructure investment to road, rail, ferry and bus networks, Action for Transport 2010 was a long-term vision for how the State's transport needs can be met. It addressed 12 main strategies:

• Meeting the needs of a growing and changing population
• Safeguarding the environment
• Improving air quality
• Reducing car dependency
• Getting more people on public transport
• Improving access for rural communities
• Making freight more competitive
• Keeping the network in good order
• Getting the best out of the system
• Giving the community value for money
• Making space for cyclists and walkers
• Preventing accidents and saving lives

It was projected that 28,000 construction jobs would be created with the proposed road and rail projects, giving the city of Sydney one of the most state-of-the-art, extensive and reliable integrated public transport systems.

In recent times, uncertainty has seeped in with regards to the future of some of the projects. Everything was going to plan, with much construction work in progress, when a decision was made to suspend some projects with the possibility of cancelling them. For some projects the future is still undecided even though in many cases construction is well advanced.

What follows in this article is a précis of the major projects announced as part of this government blueprint.

RAPID BUS TRANSITWAYS

In Sydney, rapid bus transitways have been chosen over light rail because they suit western Sydney's low population densities, are cheaper to build and offer more flexible transport options according to the Road and Traffic Authority (RTA) and Department of Transport joint venture. Sydney's seven transitways will be built between 2002 and 2010. Proposed completion dates are:

• Parramatta - Strathfield Transitway (2002)
• Liverpool - Parramatta Transitway (2003)
• St Marys - Penrith Transitway (2003-2008)
• Parramatta - Blacktown Transitway (2004)
• Blacktown - Wetherill Park Transitway (2006)
• Blacktown - Castle Hill (2009)
• Parramatta - Mungerie Park, near Rouse Hill (2010)

Almost 20km of the inaugural Liverpool - Parramatta Transitway (LPT) will be built on unused arterial road or other greenfield corridors. The remaining 10km will use bus priority lanes on existing roads. Co-ordinated traffic signals will give transitway buses priority at intersections with other roads. It will travel through 8km of industrial areas, making it easier for people to use public transport to go to work as well as hospitals, schools, shops and entertainment venues. At present only 5% of people in the region regularly use public transport.

Each of the 34 transitway stations on the LPT will resemble railway stations with security cameras, covered waiting areas and real-time passenger information displays. All will have wheelchair access. The transitways will require changes to the NSW Roads Act because they are a new form of public transport. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is now being prepared for the 30km LPT and major construction work is set to begin in 2000 with completion in 2003.

PARRAMATTA - CHATSWOOD RAIL LINK

The Parramatta Rail Link is the NSW government's largest publicly funded infrastructure project and among the most significant construction works currently in progress in Australia. When completed, it will be fully integrated with the Sydney metropolitan rail system. During construction, more than 1,000 jobs will be created at the height of activity with another 4,000 indirect jobs to be created in associated industries.

Major construction on the Chatswood to Epping section of the new rail link commenced on 25 November 2002. The Thiess Hochtief Joint Venture (THJV) was awarded the contract for this section. Bovis Lend Lease has been appointed to manage the THJV contract, including ensuring all works undertaken by the contractor have been verified by an independent party.

Unfortunately, half of this new line may never be built. The line was to be finished by 2010 to shift thousands of western Sydney commuters from their cars and relieve the over-stressed CityRail network. But in June 2003, the NSW Transport Services Minister declared his uncertainty: "We are building the first stage, but there is a second stage and that needs to be assessed and it's currently being assessed whether we continue with that rail link."

PARRAMATTA RAIL LINK ROUTE

The main component of the Parramatta Rail Link works will be the twin rail tunnels. Current construction work also includes a cut and cover tunnel under the Lane Cove River, dive structures at locations where the underground tunnels meet the surface tracks and the integration works to connect the new rail link with the existing Main North and North Shore Lines. These works will include the rebuilding and/or upgrading of a number of road and rail bridges and associated infrastructure.

The underground tunnels will vary in depth from about 15m to about 60m and pass under commercial and residential properties, universities and the Lane Cove National Park. The rail tunnels will be each about 7m in diameter and run mostly in parallel to each other. Cross passages will be located at regular intervals for emergency and maintenance access between the rail tunnels.

To minimise the impact of noise and vibration during operation of the Parramatta Rail Link, a number of acoustic treatments will be applied to the rail tracks along the route. Noise walls will be designed in the appropriate locations in consultation with local communities to minimise airborne noise from the operating surface sections of the new rail link. Each section of the underground rail tracks will receive a level of acoustic treatment to minimise regenerated noise caused by train wheels running over tracks and reverberating through the tunnel and external ground through to the surface.

A number of construction methods will be used to build the Parramatta Rail Link including bored tunnelling, excavation and cut and cover tunnelling techniques. Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) travel approximately 120m to 180m per week through the Sydney sandstone geology. Tunnelling will proceed simultaneously from two worksites in the Macquarie Park area using a combination of tunnel boring machines and road headers.

A cut and cover tunnel will be constructed under Lane Cove River using de-watered cofferdams which will cross the river in two stages. This technique will enable the river to flow at all times, minimising environmental impact.

NORTH WEST RAIL LINK

The North West Rail Link is a major public transport initiative of the NSW government in Sydney's North West. In the next 20 years, 12% of Sydney's anticipated residential growth is expected to occur in this area of the city. More than 140,000 new residents will live in the area by 2026, in addition to the large existing population. The North West is the area of Sydney most heavily dependent on cars; 85% of people in Baulkam Hills currently travel by car.

The proposed $360 million North West Rail Link would be the main public transport line linking residents of North West Sydney with Epping, Chatswood, North Sydney and Sydney CBD. It would also improve access to Castle Hill, Norwest Business Park and Rouse Hill (Mungerie Park). The preferred route is 19km in length and would start on the Main North Line between Beecroft and Cheltenham. The eastern section would be through a tunnel (11.6km) between the existing Main North Line and Norwest Business Park. The western section would travel at ground level from Norwest Business Park to Rouse Hill (Mungerie Park). Six new stations are proposed, including: Franklin Road, Castle Hill, Hills Centre, Norwest Business Park, Burns Road and Rouse Hill (Mungerie Park).

OTHER PLANNED RAIL LINK UPGRADES

It is uncertain whether any of the following proposals are in jeopardy of suspension or cancellation, but the initial Action for Transport 2010 also listed the following train routes for investment:

• $800 million new line linking major growth centres in Strathfield and Hurstville to be commenced in 2010
• $30 million 'Y' link at Liverpool, allowing direct services between Fairfield and Hurstville for the first time
• $700 million New Southern Railway connecting the airport and the business district and the Bondi Beach Railway

NEW ROADS

Road network infrastructure initiatives are a key component of the Action for Transport 2010 strategy and cover maintenance, road improvements and additions to the network, including special purpose roads such as transitways for buses and high occupancy vehicle lanes.

CROSS CITY TUNNEL

Planning approval for Lane Cove Tunnel was granted by the NSW Minister for Planning in December 2002. The 3.4km Lane Cove Tunnel is a key link in Sydney's orbital motorway network connecting the Gore Hill Freeway with the M2. It will result in quicker journey times between the city and Sydney's north-west region. The consortium chosen to design, build, maintain and operate the tunnel is the Lane Cove Tunnel Consortium (sponsored by Thiess Pty Limited, John Holland Pty Limited, Transfield Holdings Pty Limited and ABN AMRO).

The Lane Cove Tunnel involves the construction of twin, 3.4km, two-lane tunnels, with three lanes provided in long sections to improve safety and traffic flow for tunnel users.

The eastbound tunnel will begin as two lanes, with a third lane from about 1.1km into the tunnel. This lane will carry traffic to an exit on to the Pacific Highway and a new transit lane on the Gore Hill Freeway.

The westbound tunnel will be three lanes for almost its entire length, with two lanes from the beginning of the tunnel on the Gore Hill Freeway with a continuous third lane from the connection of the Pacific Highway entry ramp traffic with the main tunnel. This will avoid the need for the forced merging of traffic in the tunnel.

Works to be undertaken in association with the Lane Cove Tunnel include:

• An additional lane in each direction on the Gore Hill Freeway to be provided as transit lanes
• New north-facing ramps at Falcon Street providing access to and from the Warringah Freeway
• Modifications to Epping Road to provide improved facilities for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport

Journeys from the north-west to the city will be quicker with the Lane Cove Tunnel. The tunnel will bypass five sets of traffic lights. Motorists travelling between Falcon Street and the M2 avoid travelling via the Pacific Highway and would bypass 26 sets of traffic lights. Congested intersections, such as Epping Road/Centennial Avenue, would be avoided.

The Lane Cove Tunnel will link directly with a network of motorways including the Eastern Distributor. This will make trips to places such as Sydney Airport quicker and more reliable. The tunnel will also bring significant benefits for through traffic and the local community.

WESTLINK M7

Westlink M7 is the new name for the road previously known as the Western Sydney Orbital. The 40km Westlink name reflects the motorway's role as the western link in Sydney's orbital motorway network. Westlink M7 will be the link between the M2, M4 and M5 motorways in the western suburbs. Major construction started on the Westlink M7 in July 2003.

In February 2003, the WestLink Motorway Limited consortium entered an agreement with the Roads & Traffic Authority to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain Westlink M7 motorway for a total of 34 years, after which it will be transferred back to the government. The Federal Government is contributing $356 million towards the construction of this link with the remainder of the cost being met by the private sector.

The Westlink M7 is a dual carriageway motorway to be constructed between the M5/Hume Highway at Prestons and the M2 at West Baulkham Hills. It will replace the Cumberland Highway as the National Highway link through Sydney providing a new route for the transport industry and taking heavy vehicles off local roads.

The Westlink M7 will bypass up to 56 sets of traffic lights, cutting travel times across western Sydney by up to an hour.

The new motorway will be constructed from the intersection of the M5/Hume Highway and Camden Valley Way at Prestons to Elizabeth Drive at Cecil Park. From there the route will travel north, parallel and east of Wallgrove Road, crossing the M4 Motorway and the Great Western Highway at Eastern Creek. It will then follow the Phillip Parkway corridor to Richmond Road, turning east to follow the Castlereagh motorway corridor and link with the M2 at West Baulkham Hills.

PARAMATTA TO WINDSOR OFF-ROAD CYCLEWAY

The Roads and Traffic Authority is currently building a cycleway as part of the current $323 million All the Way to Windsor upgrade of Windsor and Old Windsor roads, and the proposed Parramatta to Rouse Hill T-way. Both projects are due for completion by the end of 2006.

The 30km high-quality, off-road shared bicycle and pedestrian path will start at the north-west corner of the intersection of Church and Argyle streets at Parramatta and continue to Macquarie Street at Windsor.

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