I object to the Devonshire St section because:
1) I think Devonshire St is too steep for a light train.
2) I think destroying Olivia Gardens and making people homeless is wrong. We are already hundred of thousands houses short in Sydney.

I have serious reservations about using Devonshire St for the light rail thoroughfare through Surry Hills. Devonshire St is the main pedestrian thoroughfare to Central and it is far too narrow to accommodate the light rail, residents vehicles and pedestrian traffic. Trams had run along Oxford and Cleveland Sts for over a century and are more logical routes. This would be similar to the current light rail situation in Brunswick St, Fiztroy or Swanston St, Carlton in Melbourne that share vehicle and light rail traffic just fine.

To whom it may concern,

Construction and operation of a light rail service from Circular Quay to Kingsford and Randwick via Surry Hills sounds like a good plan but should not create new transport problems for residents who rely on existing and effective bus routes. There are two issues addressed in this submission: (1) journey times, and (2) accessibility.

(1) Journey times

The existing X73 and X74 bus routes from Coogee to the CBD take 26-27 minutes (all bus route estimates provided by the NSW TransportInfo website). Experience shows that, when the time required to walk to/from the bus stop and waiting for the bus is added (about 18 minutes), the typical current commuting time in the morning is 45 minutes, and slightly longer in the evenings.

There have been reports that, once the light rail is in operation, most of the Coogee-based bus routes will travel only as far as the proposed Randwick interchange, with commuters to the city then required to switch to a light rail service. The Sydney Light Rail website estimates that the Randwick Interchange to Wynyard journey will take 26 minutes. Added to this must be the 13 minute bus journey from Coogee beach to Randwick, which makes for a 39 minute journey. The time required to walk to and from the bus and light rail and wait for connections must be added to this journey (18 minutes). A conservative estimate for the total commuting time in this scenario is therefore 57 minutes.

If the express bus services from Coogee are abolished and commuters therefore required to use two transport modes, the commuting time will increase by 13 minutes, or 27 per cent.

Though it is less clear if bus services to and from Clovelly beach will be affected by the light rail proposal, please note that, if they are affected, the issues raised above should also apply to the X40, X39 and 339 bus routes. In this case, the 339 route is included as the main commuter route because the X40 and X39 routes are very unreliable.

It is recommended that the State Government implement the light rail service but continue to provide the existing express bus services to and from the Coogee and Clovelly areas (339, X39, X40, X73, X74).

(2) Accessibility

Commuting is, for most people, an experience to be endured rather than enjoyed. The best way to get through the experience is to find a comfortable spot and read a book or listen to music while letting the bus driver take care of the business of driving to your destination. A requirement to switch transport modes adds effort and time to journeys when compared with direct routes.

These issues are particularly important for people with reduced mobility, such as pregnant women, fathers with strollers and the elderly. There have been reports that, once the light rail is in operation, most of the Coogee-based bus routes will travel only as far as the proposed Randwick interchange, with commuters to the city then required to switch to a light rail service. If this happens, people with reduced mobility will be discouraged from using the service and are likely to either drive their car more often (which will negate the congestion-reducing benefits of the light rail system) or stop using the service (harming the quality of life for these people).

Though it is less clear if bus services to and from Clovelly beach will be affected by the light rail proposal, please note that, if they are affected, the issues raised above should also apply to the X40, X39 and 339 bus routes. In this case, the 339 route is included as the main commuter route because the X40 and X39 routes are very unreliable.

It is recommended that the State Government implement the light rail service but continue to provide the existing express bus services to and from the Coogee and Clovelly areas (339, X39, X40, X73, X74).

Thank you for your consideration of this submission,

Jonathan.

Underground Underground Underground.

Other countries manage to take a long term view. Please remember that this infrastructure will last for potentially hundreds of years if done properly. An underground system will last maybe forever.

People are prepared to the extra for something like this that will last forever and benefit so many.

Underground allows for better pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle (public and private buses etc). Underground will allow faster travel for those utilising buses etc.

Why would we want to install an new form of transport only to take away the efficacy of others.

I cannot imagine what our city or country would be like if our previous governments didn't plan for the future or try to do the very best they could.

Please leave the surface for people to enjoy to walk and sit and play in the most densely populated and visited part of the country. George Street as a boulevard would be super.

I am also feeling very sorry for the residents in Surry Hills whose lovely homes and tree instead streets will be destroyed because of this project. This is doubly disappointing because there are options.

I am positive that people want underground transport systems both rail light or heavy and roads. I also feel that most people would be happy to pay extra to have things done properly and because the extra amortised over hundreds of years makes it excellent value.

Thanks heaps
parris

I Support to Ligh Rail service.

As a resident who lives with 100 metres of the proposed line I have a few concerns.

1. Parking
The loss of so many parking spots in Devonshire St will put pressure on parking in the local area. As highligted in the EIS the main problem is commuters who drive to the area and park for extended periods of time. I rarely see parking inspectors in the area. I continually see people parking for greater than the limit of 2 hours, who regularly come out, check for tyre marks then go back to their place of work.

The only way to combat this will be to implement parking meters ( with resident exemptions) in the whole area to force commuters to consider alternative forms of transport, ie the Light Rail. If parking is free as it is now, with little chance of being fined, people will not use other modes of transport. If there is a cost imposed for parking then, train/tram becomes a cheaper option for them.


2. Noise/Vibration

This may be a concern. I have lived in Melbourne and find the constant "Ding" of the tram bells very annoying. The EIS does state that this will be limited to emergency warnings only. This does need to be monitored. There also needs to be a method for residents to report excessive noise from the Trams.

Consideration needs to be given to using low vibration/noise tracks along the entire length of Devonshire St. The EIS only talks about the use of this special track outside a Recording Studio only.

I think it's a great idea! Sydney needs more public transport!

I am all in favour of this project. It should plan for the possiblity of including Bondi Junction and Centennial Park to the network so that people can easily enjoy Centennial Park - perhaps splitting off after the Moore Park stop

I am very pleased to see this development begin. I think it will be extremely useful in reducing current public transport congestion which exists on buses, especially in the Kensington area, as buses are normally full before they arrive in the AM peak.

I have no doubt it will be used extensively by residents and uni students.

I am in total agreement with a light rail project for CBD and South East area. Light rail is the way to go and we see leadership for light rail from many countries around the world. Bordeaux, France has particularly impressed me and its tram system doesn't rely on overhead cables but power generated through the tracks. The light rail project will help ease congestion in the Eastern suburbs and CBD as well as modernising our public transport system.

The route to Moore Park from the city is flawed, and will be a disaster for the city and Surry Hills.
The route should be:- Phillip St at Circular Quay into Elizabeth St past all the existing Eastern Suburbs bus stops along Hyde Park, left into Liverpool St then into Oxford St, up to Taylor Square, then right into Flinders St, south to Anzac Parade and then onto Randwick etc.
This will service the greatest number of people '24/7' with minimal disruption to the city, cheaper and quicker to build, and in conjunction with a revised bus plan allow the City Council to have a real pedestrian Mall in George St, not one cluttered with a tram system and other service vehicles.

The route is a disaster waiting to happen for Sydney City and Surry Hills. George St is too narrow for these vehicles and other local authorised traffic as well between Hunter St and Town Hall. The destruction of Surry Hills is pending criminal activity. The route should be Phillip St at Alfred St at the Quay into Elizabeth St into Liverpool St into Oxford St into Flinders St then south to Anzac Parade onto Randwick and Kingsford. Simple, sensible, wide streets that can handle the infrastructure. No demolition of homes or relocation of people. Few if any trees to cut down. No tunnelling under Moore Park and Anzac Parade. The government's plan is madness.