See attached.

No comment response supplied

Please see submission from the Epping Civic Trust attached

For years the Parramatta Light Rail (PLR) FAQ has said: "Investigations to date have identified Carlingford to Epping as a future dedicated public transport corridor, and light rail as a potential transport mode will be considered as part of any future planning in this area."

Recently "future planning" has commenced for Epping South and Epping West Public schools' construction and expansion. By being added to background peak hour private transport commuting, driving school children to school is a major and growing contributor to peak hour traffic congestion in an area already heavily impacted by it. These two school sites are 900 metres walking distance apart along quiet suburban streets. Both schools should be serviced by a light rail stop equidistant between them. An overhead pedestrian crossing already exists in Carlingford Road servicing Epping West. Apart from Carlingford Road, there are no other busy roads in the path to Epping South.

So far the only "solution" to creating a transport link between Carlingford and Epping is a cycle path under construction. Buses are already heavily patronised. The topography between these two rapidly growing residential areas and heavy traffic on Carlingford Road preclude bicycles as a realistic way to transport students to school.

Extending PLR to Epping along a slightly adjusted route to the one originally proposed for the Parramatta to Chatswood railway https://cutt.ly/SnH2830 would connect Carlingford station to the heavy rail and metro network at Epping thereby attracting additional custom to PLR, the T9, Central Coast and metro lines in both directions. Such an extension would terminate near Epping station. Consequently the line could be moved further south at the point shown on the map. Such a stop would also give the community access to the improved recreation facilities and West Epping Park for residents in high rise apartments near Carlingford and Epping stations.

The Statement of Environment Effects says an additional 8,900 dwellings are expected in Epping over the next 20 years and "All new dwellings are expected to be high-density dwellings." (page 8) There is vacant land in Carlingford and new apartments are under construction in Epping east of the railway line. The bridge over the line at Epping and the nearby Beecroft/Carlingford Road Rawson Street intersections are longstanding major bottlenecks.

Too often planning proposals are considered in isolation from nearby proposals. Epping West and South are becoming part of an educational hub in West Epping. Mobbs Lane has been developed already; the new developments are taking place at some distance from this hub. It is misleading to claim reductions in traffic to part of the hub without considering the other part of the hub. These proposals taken together are increasing the number of students coming to the area because new residential developments are happening elsewhere.

In short: planning for schools has lagged behind the need for them. The same should not happen when it comes to planning for movement within the schools' catchments. The right to education must include dealing with issues relating to accessing the place where the education takes place, namely the schools themselves.

Please see attached Council comments on the Epping West Public School alterations and additions.