Setting a new direction for public and private transport in Sydney
Like most large cities around the world, Sydney has always battled with its public transport vision. The new focus on reducing the reliance on cars in favour of mass transit has left planners searching for the right balance between new roads and new train lines. Fergus Neilson looks for the happy medium that will satisfy the current population and plan for future growth.
Every resident of Sydney has experienced the Saturday gridlock, an endless wait on the rain-swept platform of a suburban train station, the frustration of suffering yet another over-full bus drive-past, or the claustrophobic 20 minute crawl through a toll-way tunnel on the way home after a long day at work.
The last 30 years have been littered with good intentions and the failed delivery of one transport improvement scheme after another. It is time to take another shot at change. This time, a change driven by a more inclusive involvement of public and private transport users from across the full spectrum of Sydney’s population – by suburb, profession, age and transport usage.
The Futures Project is looking at alternative near future scenarios for the Sydney Transport System, by accessing the wisdom of Sydney residents on actions that could be taken today to direct Sydney towards a preferred transport future. We hope to understand how Sydney residents view four alternative ‘futures’ for the transport system. Which scenario represents the preferred future? What actions in the here-and-now would enhance the probability of Sydney benefiting from that preferred future within the next 20 years?
1. Encourage a move away from dependence on the private car – Initiate a mix of actions directed at lessening dependence on the private car: higher tolls, lower public transport prices (and more buses), CBD congestion charges, car pool subsidies, perhaps even alternate day licensing and additional bicycle lanes.
2. Finally build the long promised integrated public rail and bus network – Commit to a joint State, Federal and private sector 20 year program to give Sydney world’s best region-wide public transport – from heavy rail, light rail, express buses, community mini-bus services and ferries, to integrated ticketing.
3. Accelerate the pace on creating substantial second city nodes – There are many second city centres throughout the Sydney basin: Parramatta, Hornsby, Hurstville, Sutherland, Ryde, Waringah, etc. A concerted effort to encourage the increased re-location of employment and other activities to these centres, and to ensure effective transport linkages between them all, could significantly reduce the daily rush to the centre.
4. Maintain past practice with reliance on CityRail and private cars – Continue with steady extension of the city motorway system, additions to the heavy rail network (NW Link, SW Link and Parramatta to Epping) for completion prior to 2020, and possibly a second Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Review toll charges in off peak times.
Open Forum member feedback
Your feedback is important to The Futures Project and we would appreciate it if you could identify:
- your most preferred outcome for the Sydney Transport System – Scenario 1, 2, 3, or 4; and
- those initiatives that you believe should be taken today to set Sydney on the right path to your most preferred outcome.
The Futures Project
The Futures Project is focused on a single ambition: directing the wisdom of crowds at encouraging government and business clients to shift their emphasis from hindsight and daily ‘fire fighting’ to the application of insight and foresight in preparing society now for better outcomes in the near future.
Fergus Neilson is Co-Founder of The Futures Project. Fergus brings a wide range of business and life skills gathered from a career in the armed forces, investment banking, the United Nations, McKinsey & Company and private equity investment. Always sceptical of solutions imposed ‘top-down’ and increasingly frustrated by the default position that invariably sees cleaning equipment bought in only after the proverbial has hit the fan. Fergus can be contacted at Fergus.Neilson@dif.com.au
Fergus Neilson has a wide range of business and life skills gathered from a career in the armed forces, investment banking, the United Nations, McKinsey & Company and private equity investment.
benatcalibre
November 1, 2011 at 12:41 am
Micro projects, not Macro?
I look forward to seeing how this progresses, from a laman with both a professional and personal interest in the transport industry in Sydney it appears that good ideas and intentions are always overcome by individual bias. Cyclists want cycleroutes at the expense of other road users, drivers want less congestion but for others to pay for it, rail users want better rail systems but because of the pricetag of new rail infrastructure there is no money left for others and finally political parties want to focus on projects that will win votes in swing seats or secure their own.
I would like to think that if there were a way to take baby steps on developing our transport infrastructure then projects could be broken up into stages and decisions could be made on the benefit/cost of individual improvements. That way surely a larger proportion of the Sydney residents would benefit as opposed to the all or nothing approach of flagship major infrastructure projects that are all consuming of the funds available.
I am a cyclist, driver and frequent user of public transport and would much prefer to leave my car at home but this is not always tenable for me and I am aware that I am fortunate to live in an area with great transport links and have only a short commute so I also appreciate that others aren’t necessarily able to do so. I just feel that multi-modal micro-projects to the system with the end game being an overall improvement must have some merit – especially when with the state being short on finances it appears there will so little money left after the North West Rail Link.
Having said all that, my professional bias would have to be towards the state spending all its money and getting into debt to build huge, complex transport projects as this will ensure my services are in higher demand 🙂
Ben Wood
Calbre Search
bcooper
November 30, 2011 at 3:27 am
Another Scenario?
Hi Fergus,
Great idea (regarding Forum).
Regarding transport, i think the concept of ‘pay for use’ should be raised (maybe scenario 5), i.e. if you own 2 cars and a motorbike, but only do 5,000 kms per year (total) then you should be ‘charged’ less for ‘road use’ than the person with one car doing 50,000kms. [Yes I own 2 cars and a motorbike, and yes I’d be happy paying for my road use.] I know there are some practical diffuculties with this concept but I think the concept is worth considering. Fuel tax is a good example, but i guess that revenue is either insufficient, or ‘spent elsewhere’.
I have a similar view with respect to other utilities, esp. water, which we dont pay a ‘fair price’ for. The water issue highlighted by one responder to your population growth blog will only be an issue because if we all get water at a huge discount. True pricing of electricity is on the way (or potentially here already?), should water & road use follow?
[I guess we need to change the political system prior to any increase in costs to the general public? Maybe we should let the australian corporates vote too?]
Rgds
Ben Cooper
Ian Bell
February 11, 2012 at 1:49 am
Public and private transport in Sydney
2 Bens commenting so far & I’ve never b’en to this site before (‘scuse the pun).
Just a short comment as ‘on the run’.
I like the John Bradfield approach (harbour bridge), build it big enough for a long future.
He battled with politics & vested interests money men, but got through it all & haven’t we benefitted.
Since then, what have we seen? Not many bold decisions/moves.
Snowy Mountains Engineering,…not many other examples that ‘cut the mustard’ in Oz. Except for mining, maybe.
In Sydney, Opera House, Pyrmont/Darling Harbour were good efforts & hope springs for Barangaroo – these are a credit to Lend Lease, a great planner (or maybe implementer of LPMA plans, don’t know enough as to where to give credit) but so far a builder of buildings rather than much infrastructure.
M7 closer to ideal in thinking ahead in length & loop, but not sure what size corridor remains. And beyond that, what is the plan?
Not that I’m in favour of cars over other means, but we have to have a grand vision & break down some of the cost-constraint barriers.
NW Rail should have been started before they released the Rouse Hill scheme.
Look what China is doing with Shanghai. And with high speed rail. How Asian cities like Singapore & Hong Kong long ago went with MRT type rail developments.
And how they have benefited since versus our creaky systems. We move our workers very slowly in smaller numbers.
And I’m not sure we’ve got our cycling strategies right, with due deference to the good intentions behind them. We’ve gone European there, rather than Vietnam style. Not everyone can cycle of course. Singapore long ago introduced cost penalties for CDB vehicle use – why didn’t we? User pays can certainly help, if overlaid with behavioural engineering by fiscal policies.
I decided a while back to live on the Central Coast for fresh air & space, & submitted to SKM 10+ years ago that they needed to plan with more far-sightedness than just an M2/F3 link. Sad how politics & lack of preparedness to make large long-term investments holds everyone back.
Up here we have Gosford Master Plan 2025 to attempt to re-vitalise what is basically a commuter & leisure shire so far and when they come out with Gosford Landing project the local press is dominated by minority protesting groups, who have some good points but slow things down a lot compared to the more dynamic economies. We need to find a way of getting more constructive dialogue on why grand plans are essential.
Have a good day (if you’re not in traffic)
Ian Bell
cheapbushire
June 10, 2014 at 10:28 am
Setting a new direction for public and private transport
I am a driver and frequent user of public transport and would much prefer to leave my car at home but this is not always tenable for me. I am aware that I am fortunate to live in an area with great transport links and have only a short commute, so I also appreciate that others aren't necessarily able to do so. I just feel that multi-modal micro-projects to the system with the end game being an overall improvement must have some merit – especially when with the state being short on finances it appears there will so little money left after the North West Rail Link.