Hi Light Rail Planners,

Due to more frequent light rail service compared to trains planned, I am a little concerned about the privacy of our house which is along the rail corridor.

I strongly hope there will be more taller plants or trees along the corridor to protect the privacy of the residents along the corridor, especially around the existing Leamington Rd pedestrian under rail crossing as the tracks are significantly above the ground and overlooking the neighbourhood and there are not a lot of plants to protect privacy at the moment.

Kind Regards
Yang Xia
0434 388 455

NSW Department of Planning

Re: Parramatta Light Rail - Stage 1
SSI 17_8285

I am writing in regards to the Parramatta Light Rail - Stage 1 EIS that is currently on exhibition. I OBJECT to this project for the following reasons:

1. The Greater Parramatta Area is well served by existing heavy rail and bus networks. Westmead Precinct is already served by a heavy rail connection, with Westmead Hospital and the Children's Hospital at Westmead accessible on foot in 5 and 10 minutes respectively. Additionally, Westmead is well served by the bus service from Parramatta. The light rail also duplicates the already functional pre-existing heavy rail route from Clyde to Carlingford.

2. The proposed Light Rail project will have a deleterious impact on the heritage values of the Fleet Street Heritage Precinct (identified in the EIS as the "Cumberland District Hospital Precinct"). This unique Precinct carries within it highly significant heritage values associated with indigenous and colonial Australia. The EIS acknowledges that the Light Rail project will have anywhere between a "minor" to "high" adverse effect on the Precinct. This is in addition to the already egregious heritage impacts on the Precinct resulting from Urban Growth's Parramatta North Urban Transformation (PNUT) Project.

3. Whilst the EIS adopts a conservative stance in its assumption that the Parramatta Female Factory site will attain National Heritage Listing, what is not explored is the potential impact on a World Heritage Listing. Passing within metres to the north of the Parramatta Female Factory Site (the proposed "Heritage Core" of the Precinct under Urban Growth's PNUT DA), this Light Rail route could place in serious jeopardy any claim on Australia's first World Heritage Listing since 2011.

4. This Project will, like the South-East Light Rail Project, result in the wholesale destruction of large swathes of mature native and introduced trees, some of which date to the colonial era. This is unacceptable, given the urban heat island effect, which has been well established in Western Sydney, and will significantly reduce the aesthetics and amenity of North Parramatta.

5. Finally, the route of the proposed Light Rail project south down Church Street will result in the destruction of THE ROYAL OAK HOTEL. This Hotel is one of the oldest in Australia (approximately 200 YEARS OLD), and is a site of significant colonial importance. Additionally, the EIS is unable to fully mitigate against construction damage to the Stables at the rear of the Hotel.

For these reasons, I STRONGLY OBJECT to the Parramatta Light Rail project.

Kind regards

(Mrs) Lorraine Grindrod

I suggest the following :
1.
As per the EIS , Pennant Hills Road crossing bridge just before the Carlingford station will continue to be narrow to allow only single lane light rail. This will be a bottle neck whenever there is a problem with this lane. This has potential to bring standstill the whole network. This Pennant Hills Road bridge should be widened to accommodate two lanes. This extra expense is like a insurance premium whose benefit and importance will be realised only when we have problem.
Therefore I suggest to widen this bridge to accommodate two lanes instead of single lane.
2.
The route should not terminate at Carlingford station but should be extended and terminated to Carlingford Court. The probability of number of passengers getting in/out at Carlingford Court could be double than the passengers at Carlingford station.Therefore I suggest that the route should be extended up to Carlingford Court in the first place.
3. Eventually the light rail should be extended to Epping Station since Carlingford to Epping is the missing link for the commuters traveling from Western Sydney to link to Epping. Currently commuters from Western Sydney travel up to Straithfield and then change to come to Epping wasting their valuable time.
Therefore I suggest to extend the network up to Epping.

Conscious initial studies are being undertaken to determine the feasibility of connecting Carlingford to Epping. Integrating Light Rail to other transport modes is a key aim of the Parramatta Light Rail project. Carlingford is currently a dead end in terms ot other transport modes apart from the bus network. Taking the bus from Carlingford to Epping during peak or vice versa is a challenge currently and travel time will continue to blow out as density in the area increases in the short to medium term.

Terminating the line at Carlginfod Court or Carlingord Village would be a preferred option for many Epping/Carlingford Residents.

I understand the EIS outlines that there will be dual track from Westmead to the Carlingford Bridge, Pennant Hills Road. Unsure why a "choke point" would be created intentionally at the Carlingford Bridge. To ensure a Stage 2 to Epping is attractive for a future government - ensuring dual track all the way to the existing Carlingford Station is critical and preferably onto Carlingford Court or Carlingford Village.

Whilst I fully support government expenditure on public transport initiatives such as the Parramatta Light Rail Project, my concerns arise when the plans do not seem to be fully integrated into the way the public will use the new infrastructure. As a result infrastructure projects can have the potential of becoming extremely expensive white elephants that end up causing more problems than they solve.

My concerns in this instance are centered on the following for my local station:-

1. Lack of Car Parking at the Carlingford station - Not everyone can be fortunate enough to live within easy walking distance of public transport and as a result will need to drive to the station. Due to the proposed location of the station and a resulting serious shortage of any suitable street parking opportunities, passengers will be forced to park a considerable distance away from the station once again clogging up quiet suburban streets with parked cars just as has happened at the M2 Oakes Rd Bus interchange and all the streets surrounding Epping Train Station. The underutilized grassed area on the northern end of the station should be partially occupied by a commuter car park of adequate size to lessen the street parking congestion. Sufficient grassed open space can still exist for the surrounding residential units/ Scout Hall and Childcare center with suitable delineation efforts for pedestrian safety.

2. As longtime residents of the area, the current heavy rail service was always a compromised service of limited appeal with the train terminating at Carlingford. The Light Rail stage 1 solution should not fall into the same trap and should build the connection to Epping as part of stage 1 to ensure increased patronage. To expect users to travel 20 mins to Parramatta via Light Rail then change for a 30 min express train to the city (50 min total trip) offers no appeal as it is faster to drive 5 minutes to the M2 Oakes Rd Bus Interchange with a 20 minute trip to the city (less than 30 min total trip) or even drive 10 mins to Epping and catch the train with a 30 min express service. Whilst there will be some patronage for users to travel to Parramatta/Westmead a significant portion will be wanting to travel east and will not bother trying to use this service. By extending the service in stage 1 to Epping, the service can then be fully integrated with the Heavy rail and North West Metro creating viable northwest/west, north/west and west/east transport routes thereby eliminating the need for traveler's to travel into Strathfield. Without this option then I expect that commuter usage will fall far short of any modelling because of the lack of consideration of integration with the other transport modes.

Please extend the line to connect to Epping Station. This way the new light rail can be used by people leaving in Epping and all along the northern line.

This will decrease the need for people having to drive along Pennant Hills Road to get to Parramatta as they can use the Northern Line and connect to the light rail.

I am concerned about loss of mature trees along the light rail route, especially in the section from the Parramatta River through to Carlingford. There are a number of tall trees that are likely to be removed for the expanded line.
This green corridor and area is home to many species such as Powerful Owls who rely on mature trees for their nesting hollows. I have also spotted native bee hives and other species such as sacred kingfishers.
Whilst I can see there is a replacement plan in place I would also propose the involvement of the Hollows As Home program, Dr John Martin 02 9231 8058, [email protected] to facilitate replacement hollows in trees that have been kept where possible, nesting boxes and other habitat support.

I would also like to see resources devoted to improving the waterway around Vineyard Creek. This area especially from Parramatta River to Victoria road has been chronically neglected and with remediation could be greatly improved and the Light Rail crosses this creek near the WSU campus.

The proposed route appears to have been hastily conceived without proper planning or consultation. The conversion of the Carlingford heavy rail line to light rail is a backwards step that will deny the future potential that this route has as a significant feeder connection to the heavy rail network. The route along Church Street will adversely impact business along the route and cause negative visual impact to this significant thoroughfare. What compensation will be available to affected businesses? The routing of the light rail through the high value world significant Fleet Street heritage precinct will greatly diminish the unique cultural values and potential of this site.
Light rail is needed for Parramatta but the proposed route needs a complete rethink for a better outcome. I object to the proposed route.

i look forward to usung the light rail every day.
please complete this vital piece of public transport as soon as possible.

HI,

My house backs onto the new light rail and the current Dundas train station at the moment. My address is 57 Kissing Point Rd Dundas. With the new platform to be built closer to my back yard, and the fact that the house is lower than the ground level,I am concerned about the privacy of my back yard and my house.

Ideally, there would be some barrier established between the platform and my house to make sure the passengers and people waiting on the platform would not be able to see my back yard and the house over the fence. I am happy to explore other alternative with the planning department to help ensure the privacy of the residents living along the corridor.