Please find attached submission

Please find attached Sydney Airport's submission in response to the Sydney Metro (Chatswood to Sydenham) Environmental Impact Statement.

We would be pleased to discuss any issue contained in this submission in greater detail.

THIS PROJECT HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON SEVERAL SUBURBS OF SYDNEY AND THEREFORE IT HAS TO BE CAREFULLY EXAMINED BEFORE GOING AHEAD. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS FOR TRANSPORT IN SYDNEY AND SURROUNDING SUBURBS LIKE LIGHT RAIL CORRIDORS ALONG METRO ROADS. IT IS SHAMEFUL THAT PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS HAVE NEVER COMMITTED TO A LONG TERM INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING. WE NEED A SECOND AIRPORT AND IMPROVED INTERCITY TRAINS TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.

Peter and Beryl Hourigan
15 / 5 Towns Place
Millers Point NSW 2000

Director
Transport Assessments
Department of Planning and Environment
GPO Box 39
SYDNEY NSW 2001

21 June 2016
Dear Director,

CHATSWOOD-SYDENHAM METRO: SS15 7400

I own and live in apartment 15/5 Towns Place Milers Point. While I support the proposed Sydney Metro proposal I have a number of objections to its proposed implementation. The most serious is relating to noise and vibration issues to my home, residents and businesses.
The current plans show the eastern tunnel passing beneath the north western corner of my building on Dalgety Road at a depth of 35 metres.
The tunnel continues south, in part below Dalgety Road and under the terraces on Dalgety Road to the new proposed metro station at Barangaroo. Those terraces on Dalgety Road sit on a sandstone escarpment approximately 10 metres above the road surface. This additional 10 metres adds to the 35 metre buffer between the tunnel and residents.
In contrast, the Towns Place building not only lacks this 10 metre buffer, but also has a car park to a depth of approximately 20 metres below ground level. This significantly reduces the buffer between the tunnel and building structure, exacerbating noise and vibrations issues.
The limited buffer could be resolved by relocating the eastern side of the tunnel approximately 10 metres to the west of Dalgety Road so that no part of it runs close to or below the Towns Place building on Dalgety Road. Moving the tunnel west places the tunnel below much deeper bedrock where noise and vibration will not impact on any surface building.
Whilst best practise for this type of rapid transport system is for the rolling stock to have rubber wheels running on rubber tracks it s understood that for consistency the Metro's system will have steel wheels and tracks. While acknowledging the need for consistency, this track should have high quality attenuation measures installed. Particularly that part from the harbour to Barangaroo metro station. Demonstration of the noise and vibration attenuation should be a fundamental requirement for the design, construction and contract submissions.
The use of temporary stockpiling of spoil on Hickson Road before double handling and removal is unnecessary with modern construction processes. The spoil should just be removed from the area directly to its final destination, and this should not occur at night.
The proposal that the spoil may be removed from the area by barge should require its removal from the harbour side of the central Barangaroo site. To do so from any other local harbour location would again involve double handling, unwarranted and unreasonable noise and increase the number of truck movements in the area.
While these matter seem basic, it is unfortunately these simply issues are not neglected when dealing with complex issues.
I am happy to discuss my comments or be involved in any community engagement process.

Yours faithfully


Peter and Beryl Hourigan


CC
Mr Andrew Constance, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure,
Mr Tim Reardon, Secretary Transport for NSW, Level 6, 18 Lee Street CHIPPENDALE NSW 2008 (PO Box K659 HAYMARKET NSW 1240)

Sydney Metro Chatswood to Sydenham Submission
Objection to the proposed Sydney Metro
Made by: Pip Rath, 13/25A Hickson Rd, Millers Point

I object to the Sydney Metro Plan and in relation to the proposed station at Barangaroo for the following reasons:

Operational problems: The situating of the metro tunnel under part of the residences bounded by Dalgety Road, Towns Place and Hickson Roads is more than likely to produce ongoing unacceptable operational noise and vibration (see Chapter 11 Chatswood to Sydenham EIS).

Despite the real risk of vibration and operational noise to residents of these buildings no effort is being made to mitigate the problem. At the very least the track should have high to very high attenuation and not standard. The buildings in question have 6 floors of underground carpark and consequently noise and vibration will echo through the hollow space. It is extraordinary such attenuation is not being contemplated for this section of track in the tunnel but is contemplated for track near Pitt Street and Martin Place.

Construction Noise: (See Chapter 10 of EIS). The construction proposals for the Barangaroo station will severely impact the quiet enjoyment of residents and businesses along Hickson Rd from central Barangaroo down to Towns Place.

Residents and workers have had to put up with high noises levels during construction of Barangaroo Park. Construction and truck movements have been and continue to be disruptive. All construction and trucks should be placed on the Barangaroo central area where the proposed station is situation. Movement of trucks etc along Hickson Rd from the site to around Towns Place and Dalegty Rd should be extremely limited.

Residents have had extremely bad experiences of trucks sitting outside on Hickson Rd and Towns Place idling at 4-5am in the morning while waiting to go on site. No amount of complaints made much difference.

Quite enjoyment of our property is paramount and there is no thought being given to compensating residents. At the very least all construction should be kept as much as possible on the Barangaroo central area where there are no buildings.

Barangaroo wrongly situated: The proposed Barangaroo station is wrongly situated to achieve the objectives announced by the Premier (eg, reduce traffic at Wynyard and Martin Place and connect the old financial hub with the new at Barangaroo south and to ferry at Barangaroo south).

Number of commuters must go up at Martin Place since commuters will be able to go directly to it from the North Shore.

As for Wynyard numbers, the numbers from the north may reduce as commuters can get off at Barangaroo instead of Wynyard and walk down. However, why would commuters change at Sydenham and go to Barangaroo and then walk back to the southern buildings when they can walk the same distance from Wynyard? This attitude will be pronounced in bad weather as the walk up Hickson Rd is open, while the walk from Wynyard is largely covered.

The Barangaroo station is also badly situated to encourage the high numbers expected to attend events in the new convention centres at the far southern end of the Barangaroo and Darling Harbour complex to use the station and hence metro system. Town Hall and Wynward are much closer options to that end.

The idea of the station being important in connecting the two financial hubs is fanciful. Anyone near Martin Place wanting to go to the business hub at south Barangaroo is likely to walk down rather than get a train and walk up Hickson Rd. Similarly, why would anyone walk in the opposite direction to the Barangaroo station to get to Martin Place area when they can just walk up through Wydnyard? This will be exacerbated in bad weather (or indeed in hot weather).

Summary:

While the proposed metro may be good infrastructure, the station at Barangaroo is nothing more than a political grab.

It is wrongly situated to make the best use of Barangaroo south and Darling Harbor and its connection to the CBD. The operational noise and vibration has not been properly attenuated and the construction noise will severely impact residents and workers for years as it is presently proposed.