Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

Introduction

Action for Public Transport (NSW) is a transport advocacy group, which has been active in Sydney since 1974. We promote the interests of beneficiaries of public transport; both passengers, and the wider community. We make the following submission on the draft Moore Park Master Plan.

Finance

To require Centennial Park and Moore Park to finance their operations from their internal revenue sources is unrealistic. Such a requirement is bound to put pressure on their administrators to compromise the quality and function of the areas for which they are responsible, or to impose prices that can only be met by larger and well-funded commercial users.

There is some scope for funding from user charges, such as charging for parking in Centennial Park. A yearly pass with a charge of about $50 and an hourly charge of at least $3.00 should be considered. Centennial Park and Moore Park along with other regional and national open space and recreational facilities in the Sydney basin should however largely be financed from a tax on land in the whole County of Cumberland area.

Until this happens, councils surrounding the Centennial and Moore Park area could be asked to make some contribution to the upkeep of the area, as their residents are the main beneficiaries of the park.

Public Transport

The only way to move large numbers of people efficiently to this precinct, especially during big events, is to use high capacity public transport for the vast majority of trips.

Park and Ride options are readily available on weekends at Sydney Trains parking stations and near most major bus stops. Sydney Trains parking is normally full on weekday afternoons, but for day/night cricket in the summer holidays a number of facilities near railway stations (such as TAFE colleges) have space available.

We believe a bus service will be required to supplement the light rail and we suggest it should run from the City to Bondi Junction via Moore Park Rd. to reduce walking distances into the precinct, rather than duplicating the light rail route and existing bus routes.

Pedestrians

We strongly support the proposed emphasis on pedestrian connections and better links with public transport services.

On event days a large number of people are happy to walk from Central Station to the SCG and return. Others will walk from the SCG to Central Station as it is downhill, but use public transport in the other direction.

Few people will use the Tibby Cotter Bridge as it is in the wrong place. It appears that the Master Plan recognises this and proposes a second pedestrian bridge linked to the light rail stop.

Parking

We strongly agree with the intended cessation of parking on the grassed areas in Moore Park. These areas should be part of a park, not a carpark.

We are relieved that the July 2015 proposal for an extra 6000 car spaces in and around Moore Park ("Moore Park - Directions 2040") appears to have been recognised as a very bad idea. The existing 4000+ parking spaces already cause severe congestion on surrounding roads on event days. No road improvements can fix this problem, as you cannot park at 60 k.p.h. The unavoidable slowdown of traffic to park can extend well into the harbour tunnel to the north, and Rosebery to the south.

This level of vehicle movement is hostile to pedestrian movement, producing an unpleasant, disconnected and less walkable urban environment. It also undermines public transport usage by impeding access to public transport stops and slowing down public transport services. This simultaneously adds to operational costs and reduces efficiency.

On event days pre booked parking should be made available for people with mobility problems at the Sydney Football Stadium and in the Entertainment Quarter. Other ticket holders should have access to these spaces only if space is available after the needs of people with genuine mobility problems have been met.