Parramatta Light Rail - Stage 1

As soon as you look at the map of the intended route a flaw in the proposal is obvious; the northern terminus being at Carlingford. The other terminus at Westmead links with the main western rail line as does the stop at Parramatta. Surely it makes sense to build on the work that was done on the project to extend the heavy rail line from Carlingford to Epping which was aborted due to politics. By extending the line to Epping you would have the terminus at a major transport interchange & offer a viable option for those people travelling from the west to the Macquarie precinct. People wishing to travel from the West will be required to change to a bus at Parramatta or Carlingford (which travels via Epping) whereas they could take the light rail to Epping & transfer to the metro line. Further, people travelling on the northern, central coast & metro lines would benefit by being able to change to the light rail at Epping making it easier & quicker to travel to Parramatta & the Westmead health precinct.

It is unacceptable that the light rail route proposes to dissect the Fleet Street Heritage Precinct in half. Cutting through a third of the oval and disturbing many indigenous and colonial archaeological treasures. Tearing out hundreds of mature trees some hundreds of years old.
UNESCO will NOT be likely to consider the Parramatta Female Factory for World Heritage Listing with the current proposed light rail route.
It is unacceptable that 41 properties will be compulsorily acquired along with a heritage listed pub.
Light rail will cause an up zoning along its corridor allowing for more high density development.
It is unacceptable that at least 863 parking spaces will be lost due to light rail. Around 168 of those will be relocated into nearby streets. Some road intersections along or near the new track are likely to see worse traffic congestion, according to the EIS. There will be some impacts on both Aboriginal archaeological sites and non-Aboriginal heritage items, says the EIS.
There has been disingenuous community consultation. The proposed route will see many businesses close down during construction. The proposed route doesn't even go past the stadium.

when events held at the rosehill race course traffic is nightmare
Can you please allow traffic to exit racecourse directly over the existing Carlingford line Cars exiting racecourse car parks on the eastern side of Carlingford line causes vehicles to wait hours further east of racecourse boundary on Grand Ave
made worse by the 5 u turn bays on grand ave and 3 race course exits on grand ave
totals 1 vehicle movements out of 10 at end of LINE basically don't move because of racecourse events (please increase exit points or increase capacity of exits for endline vehicles

I write to highlight the need for the Light Rail to continue from Carlingford to Epping as part of the stage 1 project.

Carlingford is a residential area only, however it is not a busy destination except for peak hours. In contrast, Epping is a transport, commercial, and residential hub which is busy all day. In 18 months time Epping will be connected to Sydney's first metro line with 24-hour access to all employment centres.

The patronage for the Light Rail would be vastly increased if both "Ends" of the light rail are major commercial and transport hubs - and in turn increasing the viability and profitability of stage 1 in both directions. With the current line, patronage will be toward Parramatta, leaving trams empty as they travel back to Carlingford, particularly outside of peak hours.

Although there is a public statement indicating that the Epping extension is being investigated, I believe this extension should be incorporated into the stage 1 project to service the major residential developments near Carlingford Court, as well as the developments along Carlingford Rd toward Epping. It will increase return on investment via ticket fares, as well as create accessibility and opportunity for commuters and residents from Parramatta and the north-west area to the employment centres of Macquarie Park, Norwest, Chatswood, St Leonards and North Sydney via the new metro line.

Not extending the light rail from Carlingford to Epping is foolish. This is needed to provide better connectivity from the massive development in Carlingford and Carlingford Road to both Epping/Macquarie Park and the city as well as to Parramatta.
Not doing this leaves YET ANOTHER missing link in Sydney's transport network

Hi
It seems to me judging from the proposed line of Carlingford to Westmead, there appears to be a crucial missing link from Epping to Carlingford. Years ago, the same mistake was made when the Epping to Parramatta link was not constructed because of lack of funds!

The link to Epping is important because it can deliver people from the western suburbs to the employment centres of North Ryde and Chatswood.

Regards,

Bob

The light rail services does provide direct access to the city like there was before and is now.The light rail proposal will add no real benefits to the local community over the current system except for loosing the direct access to the city .

The $1billion can be better used to convert the current single rail carriage into dual rail system and add more direct services to the city to meet expanding population

Thanks

As a long term resident of Carlingford who is tired of being gridlocked by the cars on Pennant Hills and North Rocks Roads, I cannot understand why a rail connection between Carlingford and Epping stations is being ignored.
Carlingford residents as well as those from Parramatta and points west are expected to access Sydney North via Strathfield and/or the Sydney centre. Conversely Epping people and those from Sydney North are expected to access Parramatta the same way. This would make the trains on these lines even more congested and would not provide any incentive for people to not use their cars.
All for the sake of about 2km of rail line.
The problem will be accentuated as we have huge unit complexes under construction at Carlingford station (from Mobbs Hill to Adderton Road), on Carlingford Road to Epping Station and the eastern side of Epping.
The Epping to Parramatta rail should be built as it provides better value and service because it is a loop connection - not a dead end.
We are going a lot of money just to improve but not fix the failure we already have.

My comment is regarding Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 project. I want to highlight that Carlingford residents are not at all benefited by the current planning of this project. They are losing the train service which was more beneficial than light rail. Being a resident of Carlingford for 20 years I will not support this plan.
I got a better suggestion that will really help the community.

*** Please extend the Light Rail Stage 1 from Carlingford to Epping via the Ray Road or via Willowby Road. *****

This will really help the community. At present there is huge development at Carlingford and the communication from Carlingford to Epping via bus M54 or car is a nightmare.

We have been devastated by the news our business and premises are to be taken away from us by the NSW government for the light rail.
The location of the power supply for the line has been given as the reason.
Surly there were other options available instead of using the land which our business and 4 others are located.
There has been no offer of other premises in which to move!

1 What is the parking situation around Carlingford station ? We are residents of Carlingford but unable to walk to the station due to the distance. Is it going to be a car park built near the station, which should be mandatory at all major stops.
2 We think the extra stop at Carlingford Court would be most beneficial and fair to the vast majority of the residents in this area.

I strongly object to this work as it will inflict more traffic onto Adderton Road in Telopea and as such Adderton Road now is always busy with traffic. The road closures while new work is undertaken will make traffic flow near impossible. If the submitted plan is adhered to the new street coming onto Adderton Road will be directly opposite the driveway of the complex that I live in. Why can't this new road be moved further north opposite the shops where there are no driveways for residential premises? Also once the new light rail is constructed there is no provision for parking of cars. There is already full street parking on Adderton Road from the residents that live there. Therefore to exit ones driveway safely is impossible as vision is blocked due to parked cars.

We live in a house in Dundas. Our property backs onto the existing Carlingford line. The railway line as it travels behind our property is elevated well above the height of our back fence. The current train service goes behind our property once every 1/2 hour during the day and is greatly reduced at night. This train moves quite quickly and doesn't allow passengers much time to glimpse into our yard. In addition there are currently trees on the railway embankment which partially shield us from view.

We value our privacy in our home and back yard and are very concerned about the proposed high frequency services 7 days a week from 5am to 1am of the proposed light rail. We do not wish our home and back yard to be open to view by a great number of passengers. We will feel like gold fish, or as if we are on display in a shop window.

We are also concerned about noise - we understand that the light rail will be quieter than the existing service, but it's extreme frequency will mean that we will have a light rail noise soundtrack running virtually continuously. It is to be a 2 way service, and frequently the light rail trains will pass each other, potentially behind our home, which will double the noise at those times. We also understand a cycle path is being considered, which will further increase the invasion of our privacy.

A solution to this problem would be the construction of a very high sound and privacy wall behind our back fence on the railway property side in order to protect us and other homes in the same situation, where the light rail is higher than the adjoining homes along the route.

When designing the light rail station (stop) at Westmead, please consider easy direct access from this stop to Westmead Train startion (T). for wheel chair patients from Westmead hospital and disabled people. An underground acccess between these two stations to avoid crossing the busy Hawkesbury road would be appreciated.

I am a resident of the Parramatta council area, living in Winston Hills, and a potential user of the planned light rail system.

I would like to congratulate the designers for the addition of active transport options to accompany the rail development.

It seems to me that the land clearing and bridge building this project involves would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide much needed active transport infrastructure to compliment the light rail system.

While it may seem unusual to be asking for walking/cycling options beside a rail link, as a parent (and local school teacher) I can easily imagine a situation where a family, with young children, could choose to cycle to a particular location (for example Carlingford shops) then, given the children are tired, decide to take the rail home (with their bikes).

Similarly, as a cycle commuter I have utilised multi-mode transport during bad weather - cycling on one direction while the weather is clear, then utilising the rail link when it was raining on the way home.

Active transport options, as well as the ability to take bicycles onto the train, would greatly increase the utility of the system as well as provide our citizens with a much needed exercise option.

Therefore, I would like to advocate to support the Rail project and to express a strong desire that the active transport component of the Light Rail project is brought to reality and is built along with the rail line.

What is the cost benefit analysis between light rail and electric buses on the same corridor?

Apparently it was claimed this was done for the CSELR, but has now been revealed that it wasn't!

I have been writing to the Light Rail team for years and never get an answer. Will someone answer me?
The points I was making are still the same.

Wasting $1 billion ripping up a perfectly good rail line to replace it with a slower transport system that still not connect Carlingford to Epping. I have since seen the cost of this at $1.5 billion. If there is no connection to Epping only a fool would think there any reason to get rid of what already exists.

The existing train is capable of carrying more than twice as many passengers as a light rail so the frequency of every 7 minutes would not deliver more commuters than the existing system if it were used properly.

The train from Carlingford to Clyde takes 13 minutes. Two trains could operate in each direction providing a service anywhere along this line every 15 minutes. The trains could cross either side of the station platform as the Swiss do for 70% of their rail service; this need only be at Rydalmere and Dundas approximately midway. The cost of this would be less than one tenth of the $1.5 billion now estimated to be the cost.

The connection at Clyde could be catered for by adding one more stop, on the all stops train from Lidcombe to Blacktown. This would mean that there would be less than a 5 minute wait at Clyde to go East or West, or for anyone going up on the Carlingford line or coming down. The money saved here could cover half the cost of completing the connection to Epping. This would allow a connection from Parramatta to the North East. The connection that Tony Hadchiti (WSROC Chairman) has said is what is required to open the area.

There are many other developments happening or planned to be implemented in the next few years.

The Telopea Masterplan is a proposal to build housing compromising 30:70 public : private usage. At present I was told that there are 640 FACS (Family and Community Services) dwellings in the area which would increase by an additional 1,439 giving 2,133 in total. There is also in this proposal a plan to develop other blocks in the overall footprint not currently owned by FACS or the StateGovernment. This would also have the effect of further increasing the density within the area under consideration. Density is being increased everywhere throughout metropolitan Sydney so there isno reason why Telopea should be exempt.

David Borger(NSW WSBC) referring to the Camellia development which will create 21,000 high density dwellings is quoted as saying the residents here "Will need to be properly linked to neighbouring suburbs".

Tony Hadchiti (WSROC Chairman) made the most sensible comments several months ago. He said we need "routes that link our economic hubs, business parks and commuters. Routes that lessen the north / south divide and free up travel within the region".

The paragraphs above are now putting greater demand on the Light Rail proposal which was inadequate to deal with the demands in the Carlingford/Epping areas. Tony Hadchiti points out the glaring flaws in the Light Rail proposal as it stands. I will submit the questions that I had asked previously but have not been answered.

Qu 1. Outline for me why the connection to Epping Station is being ignored. There are 1,000s of new apartments in the Carlingford / Epping area with no attempt to provide adequate public transport, when the obvious solution is staring you in the face.

Qu 2. Show me the cost benefits of converting the line for no additional stops or converting the line at all. I have not been provided with the cost benefits that politicians and bureaucrats have been trumpeting on about, why not?

Qu 3. Traffic on Pennant Hills Road is considered to have the worst financial impact of any road in Australia. The additional vehicles that now will be placed on this road will exacerbate this situation. Why has this been ignored and who or what body has made this decision?

Yours in anticipation,
Finbar O'Donoghue, 11 Naranghi Avenue, Telopea, 2117
Home # 8812 2653 Mobile # 0413003 648

Whilst I and my family are generally pleased that LightRail will be coming through here to Carlingford, replacing the existing rail line, we are very concerned that this and the proposed redevelopment of the area in and around Sturt Street, TELOPEA at/near the existing Telopea Rail Station.

A new road is proposed to come out onto Adderton Road from Sturt Street making a T-Junction just south of the existing station on the same side of the road, and near to another T-Junction, Robert Street on the opposite side of Adderton Road. There is also a pedestrian crossing near the station across Adderton Road, but having to cross Robert Street to reach this crossing is very dangerous especially with young children, as vehicles don't slow down enough when turning left into Robert Street.

It would seem more appropriate and sensible to create a cross roads/roundabout/ full set of traffic lights, lining up Robert Street and the proposed new Road, even if it means moving TELOPEA Rail Station north slightly if there are safety issues.

I, and members of this Strata Complex put a similar submission in when the plans were first on view at the office in TELOPEA, but the submission seemed to be passed from one person/department to another without anyone taking responsibility.

Vehicles Invariably pick up speed (exceeding 50kpm) from the existing crossing down to the bridge at Leaminton Road causing several accidents every year, probably not notiifiable as so far, no one has been seriously hurt. A car was turned on its side just recently after hitting a car exiting one of the many driveways along this stretch of road. In fact with cars parked along each side of the road all the time, it is very difficult to exit driveways especially when streams of traffic are running up and down Adderton Road accruing from build ups at traffic lights on Pennant Hills Road at one end and Kissing point traffic lights at the other end of .Adderton Road.

Adderton Road has a build-up of traffic in the morning and at home times, getting so much busier with all the new apartments being built in this area so I would appreciate an investigation into the planning of surrounding roads, plazas, stations along this particular part of the route for LightRail.

I am a great velvet in public transport & believe could be a great community asset but the destruction of our nation's irreplacable heritage is an disgusting proposal that cannot be supported by anyone of good conscious. The Royal Oak has stood for 180 years and must also be viewed as a community asset and remain as such.

Hi All,

I am writing to you today to talk about the demolition of the Royal Oak Hotel.

Lately the face of Sydney has changed beyond recognition. Beautiful old federation homes all over Sydney have been removed and multi story unit blocks have been built in their place. While my dream of owning one of those federations has been knocked down and replaced, I still admire the new structures that have gone up and marvel at how clever homo-sapiens are.

I completely understand that the demographic in Sydney is changing and I role and accept these changes however i believe the new demographic may not have the love of Aussie history as I do. Not because they don't care, more because they are unaware and have a different kind of love for this country.

When I look at Church Street and the buildings associated there, the knock out building with (1813 on its facade) that speaks of quality and character is the one to be removed.

I consider myself to be an open minded individual who believes that people benefit from change and moving forward. However i also believe in Australia and its heritage.

I beg and plead for the State Government to reconsider their plan and to retain the Royal Oak and build around a piece of Australian History.

If you wish to discuss this issue with me further, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will arrange for a meeting at 387 Church Street Parramatta.

Kind regards

Tracy Ivin