Ron Christie predicts DOOM for Sydney's rail system (1 Viewer)

[Ben Netanyahu]

THE state's most respected transport bureaucrat has broken an eight-year silence to condemn the NSW Government's botched handling of Sydney's transport system.

"The fact is we have not built the infrastructure that will be needed in the future," Ron Christie, the former Co-ordinator-General of Rail, said in an exclusive interview with the Herald.

The transport guru slams the Government for abandoning vast tracts of western Sydney while spending huge sums in areas that are already well served by public transport, for example the M4 extension and the CBD Metro.

Mr Christie, who as chief of the Olympic Roads and Traffic Authority was widely acclaimed for the success of the 2000 Games, is also a former head of State Rail and the Roads and Traffic Authority.

In 2001, at the request of cabinet, Mr Christie also carried out a definitive long-term rail plan for Sydney that warned "the system is rapidly approaching gridlock".

Now, in a broad attack on the Government's lack of vision, the rail supremo says its inability to commit to a long-term plan for transport is a critical failing that threatens the state's future.

"We have not looked far enough ahead," he said. "Sydney continues to grow, it is an international city, and it does not want its efficiency impacted by having public transport geared to the last century."

In a letter to the Herald published today, Mr Christie cites the push to extend the M4, at a cost of $9.7 billion, as the latest example of poor decision-making.

"Given the scarce resources we've got, we're proposing to massively fund an extension of the M4 and there is apparently a commitment to build a metro.

"The point I am making is that we're not doing anything to deal with the source of the issue, which is that vast tracts of the north-west and the south-west do not have access to public transport. We're proposing to spend money in places that do not fix the problem."

Mr Christie's landmark 2001 report envisioned a Sydney where inner-city areas were serviced by high-frequency metros - but only after a serious upgrade of the CityRail network was complete. The most crucial element of the plan was new rail links to the north-west and south-west growth centres, and, most importantly, a second line through the city and under the harbour, eliminating congestion on the network for decades. This line "will be essential", his report found, by between 2011 and 2015.



His predictions are already coming true. The pricing regulator found last year that the CityRail network was approaching timetable collapse under the weight of unprecedented demand as Sydney has grown.

"I don't understand the rationale for metro," he told the Herald of the Government's rushed $4.8 billion CBD Metro. "Why are we going to build a metro at this particular stage when the areas that are not being served are not around Rozelle?"

The most important new project, he said, must be an extension of the CityRail network.

"The big areas of the north-west and the south-west are high priority for extension of the [CityRail] network. After that, metros have their place around the CBD and inner-city."

Since retiring in 2001, Mr Christie's body of work has been slowly corroded by politics, poor management and the unwillingness of Treasury to pay for transport infrastructure.

The $1.8 billion Rail Clearways program, designed to prevent minor disruptions from wreaking havoc across the network, was slashed last year.

And the $8 billion Metropolitan Rail Expansion Plan announced in 2005 to extend CityRail to Rouse Hill and Leppington was dumped 13 months ago.

The acting Transport Minister, Michael Daley, said suggestions the Government was "not strategically planning for the future of the CityRail network and transport in general in Sydney is absolute rubbish".

"We are delivering an integrated transport plan that involves upgraded heavy rail, light rail, additional buses, and in the future, metro rail."

sydney transport ron christie infrastrucrture

Discus

 

[incentivation]

No surprises there.

The time is nigh for the opposition to propose a 'real' infrastructure plan. It's just a shame the finances of the state will be unable to support any such plan.

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

The opposition has no plan, nor will they ever. They will criticise the ALP when they are spending money for being fiscally irresponsible, and demand that the ALP builds infrastructure at the same time.

Utterly hopeless situation.

I'm moving to NYC.

 

[Gloves]

To be honest, I've never really known why people complain so much about the rail system. I ride on the trains basically every day and I've never really had any problems.

I know they're overcrowded, and sometimes a little warm, but come on, that stuff is too trivial for complaint.

The trains have never run significantly late with me, nor have I had any significant problem with the system.

Someone fill me in.

 

[Kwayera]

I do have to agree with you there, Nebs. The Opposition's lack of a clear position on the transport system is probably going to be its death knell.

 

[Kwayera]

To be honest, I've never really known why people complain so much about the rail system. I ride on the trains basically every day and I've never really had any problems.

I know they're overcrowded, and sometimes a little warm, but come on, that stuff is too trivial for complaint.

The trains have never run significantly late with me, nor have I had any significant problem with the system.

Someone fill me in.

Well, this'd be nice.

http://chopstickles.com/misc-images/cityrail-future.png

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

Ahh the Christie plan

*fap fap fap*

But nah Gloves, 110% overcrowding being regarded as acceptable (I think it may actually be 115%) on trains is not something that should be ignored. It is unsafe, inconvinent and we deserve better. The sad thing is that we could clearly do better, but governments don't seem to want to try.

And NSW will be excluded from that Nation Building thing because they didn't apply properly. So yeah, no money for us, apparently.

 

[Will Shakespear]

Ahh the Christie plan

*fap fap fap*

But nah Gloves, 110% overcrowding being regarded as acceptable (I think it may actually be 115%) on trains is not something that should be ignored. It is unsafe, inconvinent and we deserve better. The sad thing is that we could clearly do better, but governments don't seem to want to try.

And NSW will be excluded from that Nation Building thing because they didn't apply properly. So yeah, no money for us, apparently.

o rly?

we should just declare independence, the rest of the country would be fucked anyway

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

Wow.

That would be so awesome.

Although some of the links seem a bit unnecessary, even accounting for future population growth. i.e. links to Lucas Heights, Castlereagh, North Richmond and two lines all the way to Bringelly. They are not a good idea since they would encourage more sprawl, whereas to make public transport efficient and cost effective we really need more infill and high density development.

The West Ryde-Malabar metro should be priority #1, its a high density corridor with no rail access.

Bringelly is already in the beggining stages of suburban development, and lots of it. It's not going to stop now.
A rail link there is vital. The M5 East is gridlocked, and it's a long way to alternative train stations.

I'd also like to point out that all of these links are worthless without updating City Circle. Notably, Town Hall and Wynyard.

EDIT: Does City Circle operate as a shuttle in the Christie Plan? Looks like it.

 

[aussie-boy]

There already is a medium term plan for transport in Sydney... the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy (for 2005-2030)

There was an incredible amount of work done to publish that document, and it provides guidance which integrates housing, employment, infrastructure - it would be so easy to implement that plan.

The problem is that the projects it suggests (NW, SW, harbour links) wont have major "wow" factors to the voters, despite their incredible importance in the network as a whole.

EDIT: and the link posted above was some randoms fantasy map... this is the real christie plan (and no, the city circle is not a shuttle service): http://www.aptnsw.org.au/christie/fig_5_9.gif

 

[Sir-BigBoyJames]

hmm, i don't really care about the rest of Sydney (lol i do), but for fucks sake get at least 3 more lines in from campbelltown to city via Granville.
its so fucking crowded during peak hour you cant breathe.

 

[aussie-boy]

Ultimately though, central planning is doomed to failure.

Total privatization of the transport system (including privatized or corporatised user pays roads) and removal of all regulation on new housing and developments (beyond basic environmental considerations) is the only way to fix the problem.

can you name 1 city in the world where privatisation of public transport has worked successfully?

look at melbourne to see how shit private trains are

japan and france, the world leaders in rail, both have public systems

 

[Riet]

8 trains an hour to the city for me. Can't complain.

 

[Sir-BigBoyJames]

8 trains an hour to the city for me. Can't complain.

what station? and is that peak hour or off peak?

 

[Riet]

what station? and is that peak hour or off peak?

Well it's kinda cheating, Ashfield and Canterbury (I live in between), weekdays obvs

 

[Ben Netanyahu]

Public transport is not viable for low density suburban areas. The government should not encourage this development by putting in rail infrastructure that will never come close to being profitable to run.

Sydney has been low density suburban since forever, and up until about 10 years or so ago the public transport served Sydney (where what...80% of the houses are suburban?) pretty well. I think you're entirely wrong, comrade.

But this isn't to say that I'm a proponent of suburban housing. I agree with you: high density urban housing is the way to go. See, problem is that it's not happening. The Bringelly thing is already going ahead, and to leave them high and dry without transport is dumb. You're dumb. Stop being a douchebag and wake up you nimrod.

 

[Will Shakespear]

Public transport is not viable for low density suburban areas. The government should not encourage this development by putting in rail infrastructure that will never come close to being profitable to run.

If people still choose to live there, that's their choice and they can live with the consequences.

"Footpaths Privatised: Poor left House-bound"

 

[whatashotbyseve]

Doing something about connecting the M4 and City West Link is more important imo. The govt patently has neither the competence or the resources to run public transport in Sydney. Privatise it.

 

[x.christina]

City Fail

 

[Omium]

Well, this'd be nice.

http://chopstickles.com/misc-images/cityrail-future.png

that would be pretty awesome. a UNSW and UWS stop.