Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct faces transportation challenges



According to NSW’s Auditor-General, Peter
Achterstraat, Sydney’s $6 billion Barangaroo development is at ‘considerable
risk’, due to inadequate transport and lower-than-expected developer
contributions.

Wynyard Railway Station, which is expected to handle
up to 63% of the commuters to the waterfront development is likely to reach
capacity by 2017. The additional 14,300 predicted commuters won’t be able to be
accommodated at the station, which was designed and built in 1932.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said that
Barangaroo’s transport needs would be informed by an eight-week review of the
project, with a transport masterplan to guide the longer-term rail projects
such as additional capacity in the CBD (including Barangaroo). 
Property Council of Australia NSW executive director
Glenn Byres said this was the most ‘scrutinised and criticised’ project in
Sydney, and it was vital to proceed quickly once the review is completed.

In a letter to the editor, SMH reader Terry Boardman claims
that much of the unused rail infrastructure around inner Sydney could be
effectively used to solve some of the overcrowding issues faced by Wynyard
station.

Citing the recent article ‘No rail plans for Barangaroo’s commuters’, Boardman proposes linking together existing
infrastructure with stations and structures that could support additional train
lines.

The new line could run from Redfern via Central and St
James to join the proposed new lines at Wynyard, before continuing over the Harbour
Bridge. Each of these four stations has provision for an additional two lines
of rail. Furthermore, John Bradfield, the designer of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge, planned to accommodate a total of four rail lines.

This proposal definitely provides food for thought for
the transport planners and ministers trying to solve Sydney’s current transport
challenges.

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