White BayTerminal (Mod 2)

Robert St parking and traffic issues associated with the White Bay Cruise Terminal and Function Centre plan - MP10_0069 Mod 2.
Submission from Balmain and White Bay Precincts

Changes planned by Sydney Ports for the use of Robert Street, Balmain/Rozelle to allow for the operations of a cruise ship terminal on our high-density residential peninsula will have a detrimental effect on traffic flow and parking in the area. This issue has raised major concerns among residents and businesses.

The guidelines of the current White Bay /Glebe Island Masterplan that is currently in place clearly indicate that all Ports traffic must use an internal road and impacts upon the amenity of the adjacent residential area must be minimised. This Masterplan does not even take into consideration the vast increase in the number of residences and traffic movements in the area since 2000.

Even during the peak of working harbour (1960s/1970s and up until the mid1980s)
Robert Street was used as a local road and provided essential parking for our community, as it still does today.

Robert St is a much-needed access and egress route to and from the peninsula and the current parking area is used to capacity much of the time. Removal of parking and traffic lanes in this area, as proposed in the Cruise Ship Terminal plan, could see businesses suffer to the point of extinction.

The business community at White Bay includes workshops, studios, sales premises, restaurants and others. Many businesses will be hurt by increased traffic and the loss of any parking spaces. While any decrease in the loss of parking spaces is welcomed, any loss of parking in this area will have a significant negative impact on our community.

Large numbers of residents at White Bay use this area for visitor parking and to access the business premises as customers or clients.

Users of the Terminal and Function centre will take up any available parking spots in Robert St. This would be a convenient location to park and egress from the area without having to queue to exit from the Terminal and function centre surrounds.

Taxis will likely pull up in Robert St to drop off or pick up users of the Terminal and Function Centre as they would be able to leave the area more quickly than if they were to enter the foreshore.

The Balmain and White Bay Precincts strongly oppose any loss of parking in Robert St and ask that Sydney Ports modify their plan so that NO parking spaces are lost and NO Ports traffic uses residential streets, except for emergency purposes.

Christina Ritchie
Chair Balmain Precinct

Contact: Ken Welsh
Phone: 9367 9241


13 June 2012

Major Projects Team
Department of Planning & Infrastructure
23-33 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Submitted on-line

Dear Sir/Madam

RE: Leichhardt Council Submission on "Modification 2 - Construction and Operation of White Bay Cruise Passenger Terminal"

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the current exhibition of "Modification 2 . It is good to- Construction and Operation of White Bay Cruise Passenger Terminal". Council considered this proposal at its meeting on Tuesday, 12 June 2012 and resolved to forward the following points as it is submission on the proposed modification:

1. Council is strongly opposed to any loss of parking in Robert Street as it will have a detrimental impact on residents and businesses;

2. Council generally supports the proposal to provide parallel parking on the northern side of Robert Street and 90o angle parking on the southern side of Robert Street, subject to the finalising of a detailed design;

3. In order to ensure the safety, efficiency and amenity of the local area, including Robert and Buchanan Streets, the following additional measures are requested by Council:
* that the proposed 800 mm strip between the 90 degree angled parking spaces and the Sydney Ports perimeter fence on the southern side of Robert Street be provided as a paved footpath;

* that landscaping should be provided in the form of tree planting as follows (Figure 2):
- trees should be planted on the southern side of Robert Street (within the 90 degree angled parking area) at a rate of one tree every 10 angle car spaces. These trees should be located in 1.25 m wide, suitably prepared individual planter beds surfaced with porous paving. To provide optimised sight-lines the trees should be planted approximately 4.4 m from the kerbside;
- trees should be planted on the northern side of Robert Street (within the parallel parking area) at a rate of one tree every 5 spaces in appropriate, suitably prepared planter beds 2.5 metres wide;
- the trees should be Angophora Costata; a species native to the local area and planted in 100L containers. To further assist in maintaining suitable sight-lines the trees should have a 2m high bare trunk (before the canopy commences);

* the configuration of the intersection of Robert Street with Buchanan Street should be redesigned to prioritise movements between Buchanan and Robert Streets. The intersection design should also accommodate provision of a suitable pedestrian refuge on the eastern leg of the intersection (Sydney Ports' service access road) to permit safe pedestrian access between the angle parking area and the adjacent residential area;

* that the dimensions of the vehicle turning area adjacent to the port service entrance be capable of accommodating a tourist coach in

4. Council supports the above points only on the basis that the ports traffic is removed from residential streets.


Should you have any questions regarding the submission please contact Council strategic transport planner, Ken Welsh, on 9367924.


Yours sincerely



Ken Welsh
Strategic Transport Planner
Leichhardt Council