Redfern & NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan

by

NSW Long Term Transport Master
Plan sets the direction for transport planning for the next 20 years, providing
a framework for transport policy and investment decisions that respond to key
challenges. 

Below REDWatch has extracted
key quotes from the final masterplan that mention or impact Redfern Station and
Arterial Road Corridor. There is much else that impacts generally on Redfern.
Here we only have covered places where Redfern gets mentioned in the Masterplan.
 The link to the full report is at the foot of this page.

Redfern Station

3.8 Seamless interchanging (pages 67-68)

Action:
Deliver modern, integrated and customer-focused interchanges

Improving the design, management and operation of interchanges
will give regular public transport users more comfortable and pleasant
journeys, and will encourage more people to travel by public transport.

Actions to target future investment in interchanges include:

  • We will upgrade existing Sydney CBD
    interchanges, build new interchanges and improve the precincts adjacent to
    them. Upgrades will be considered for Wynyard, Town Hall, Redfern, Central and
    Circular Quay Stations. These projects will contribute to the creation of
    attractive, safe pedestrian friendly urban precincts throughout the CBD (see
    Chapter Four).

  • Our Interchange Strategy will
    improve the management and delivery of interchanges. The Strategy will identify
    how interchanges are planned, where they are placed, how they are funded and
    how they are managed and maintained. The Strategy will also consider park and
    ride requirements.

  • We will apply consistent design principles
    and guidelines for the urban design of interchanges to help create active,
    vibrant, multipurpose interchange environments that integrate with surrounding
    areas.

  • We will continue to plan, prioritise and
    develop business cases for investment in interchanges to close any gap between
    current and proposed service standards.

  • An integrated service delivery operating
    model will manage interchanges more effectively, including a model of ownership
    and maintenance that clearly articulates accountability for end to end
    management of interchanges. A draft model is illustrated in Figure 3.3.

Action: Design and
build modern interchanges that add value to local communities

Public
transport customers use a variety of modes including non-public transport modes
as part of an overall trip. For many customers, interchanges are an entry point
to the public transport system. Improving interchanges to facilitate easier
entry into the public transport system is important to the transport experience
of customers. Figure 3.4 outlines the many functions and characteristics of
interchanges, including convenience, amenity, information and access to a range
of modes.

Action
Design and build modern interchanges that add value to local
communities

Public transport customers use
a variety of modes including non-public transport modes as part of an overall
trip. For many customers, interchanges are an entry point to the public
transport system. Improving interchanges to facilitate easier entry into the
public transport system is important to the transport experience of customers.
Figure 3.4 outlines the many functions and characteristics of interchanges,
including convenience, amenity, information and access to a range of modes.

Transport Access Program (Page 66)

The Transport Access Program delivers accessible, modern, secure
and integrated transport infrastructure where it is needed most. This includes
station upgrades, better interchanges, ferry wharf upgrades and park and ride
facilities. Over four years, more than $770 million will be invested in the
Transport Access Program.

The
Transport Access Program integrates planning and delivery of targeted works
aimed at providing:

  • Stations that are accessible to people with
    a disability, older people and parents with prams
  • Modern buildings and facilities for all
    modes that meet the needs of a growing population
  • Modern interchanges that support an
    integrated network and allow seamless transfers between all modes for all
    customers
  • Safety improvements including extra
    lighting, help points, fences and security measures for car parks and
    interchanges
  • Signage improvements so customers can more
    easily use public transport and transfer between modes at interchanges
  • Upgrades of wharves that provides access to
    people with disability, older people and parents with prams.
  • Other improvements and maintenance such as
    painting, new fencing and roof replacements.

The
first round of funding will see improvements at over 35 locations. The second
round of funding will build nine new park and ride facilities, providing more
than 1,200 additional car spaces at train stations across the Sydney and NSW
Trains networks.

Further
planning and design work will identify future projects through evidence-based
criteria including current and future patronage, the needs and demographics of
customers, whether important services such as hospitals or educational
facilities are nearby, and the accessibility of other nearby transport interchanges
and facilities.

In the five and 10 year
periods beyond 2014-15 the Transport Access Program will continue to focus on a
combination of major transport infrastructure upgrades and smaller tailored
projects. The investments made under the Program will reflect the actions
outlined in the Long Term Transport Master Plan. Decisions will reflect the
service standards defined by the Strategic Transit Network and will align with
major investment programs such as Sydney’s
Rail Future.

The Transport Access Program invests and delivers targeted
works at interchanges, stations and wharves. These changes will facilitate
easier entry to the public transport system for customers. In addition to the
program, easier entry to the public transport system can be supported by strong
urban design around interchanges and the strengthening of walking links and
cycling links to interchanges.

[Second
Harbour Crossing] (p129)

Long term Action: Build
a Second Sydney Harbour rail crossing, new CBD line and new CBD stations

The
centrepiece of the modernised rail system will be a new Sydney Harbour crossing
and CBD line that will connect Redfern to Chatswood via the CBD. We have
commenced detailed planning for the second Harbour Crossing. The new CBD line
and Harbour crossing will improve access and connectivity for the North Shore
Line, Epping to Chatswood Rail Line and North West Rail Link, and will improve
travel times and capacity through the city from the north and south. It will
provide the largest increase in capacity to the Sydney rail network for 80 years.
New stations will relieve pressure on Central, Wynyard and Town Hall Stations.

Upgrading Busy CBD Interchanges (p163)

Potential upgrades to existing interchanges and new interchanges
will improve customer experience and create attractive centres and precincts
for pedestrians.

Town Hall/Mid Town –
The redevelopment of Town Hall Station to accommodate more rail passengers is
an early-stage concept that would include a bus interchange which may form part
of the development of a light rail line on George Street. This work could
integrate with the City of Sydney’s proposal to create Town Hall Square.

Circular Quay Station –
Circular Quay Station will be upgraded to improve wayfinding and layout to
enable easier interchanging between ferry, bus, rail and taxi. The upgrade will
involve better integration with private water transport providers and an interface
with the George Street light rail line.

Wynyard Station – In the long term, Wynyard
Station will need a comprehensive and multi-modal upgrade to better accommodate
rail and bus passengers interchanging at the station and Barangaroo. The
upgrade will link with Wynyard precinct bus improvements that will improve
efficiency, bus interchange and layover options.

Central Station – A comprehensive and
multi-modal upgrade would encompass and integrate trains, coaches, taxis, buses
and light rail. The rail network efficiency program provides opportunity to
streamline rail services to Central. The implementation of Sydney’s Rail
Future and construction of light rail will enhance the role of the Station
and possibly require an upgrade to better integrate with surrounding transport
infrastructure. The upgrade will alleviate overcrowding on some platforms and
pedestrian congestion in the passenger terminal at peak times. Wayfinding will
be improved within and outside the station.

Wynyard precinct bus improvements –
Actions to improve bus system operations and reduce delays in the Wynyard
precinct in the short term (up to two years), with capacity to meet medium term
needs (10 years). The upgrades will also include changes in the way York,
Druitt and Clarence Streets are managed; changes to bus routing; increased
kerbside bus stops; and investigating utilisation of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
toll plaza area to provide bus priority, bus layover and possible bus stops.

Redfern Station – A comprehensive and
multi-modal upgrade would address station access and connectivity issues,
including access within and to the station, safe and convenient interchange
with bus, pedestrian and cycle routes, and accommodating a corridor for
expansion of the CBD rail network.

Barangaroo ferry hub – A
new ferry hub will be designed and constructed for Barangaroo. Initial
modelling and analysis of requirements indicates that two ferry wharves (four
berths) will satisfy forecast patronage at 2021 and beyond. The hub will
provide convenient access to the western edge of the CBD for ferry passengers,
help to reduce congestion on other modes and relieve pressure on transport
infrastructure at Circular Quay.

4.9.2 Growing and improving CBD transport
networks (p165 -167)

Medium term Action: Upgrade city interchanges at
Town Hall, Central, Redfern, Wynyard and Circular Quay

We will plan for upgrades to
develop key city interchanges including Town Hall, Central, Redfern, Wynyard
and Circular Quay (see box on page 163).

Longer term Action: Build
second Sydney Harbour rail crossing, new CBD line and new CBD stations

In
the longer term, Sydney’s Rail Future plans for a second Harbour
Crossing and CBD rail line, serving trains from the North West Rail Link
through to the converted line to Bankstown and Western Sydney. This initiative
is described in the section on Sydney’s Rail Future (4.7.1).

Consultation Responses p394

A Key Issue Raised:
Rail network is at capacity – in particular city stations and on high volume
lines

How the Long Term
Transport Master Plan responds: Actions to implement five stages of Sydney’s
Rail Future, including a Second Harbour rail crossing in the long term, and
network efficiencies in the short term.

Actions supporting the upgrade of busy city interchanges
including Town Hall, Wynyard, Central, Circular Quay and Redfern Stations.

[REDWatch Note – There is no mention of any work on a
Station in Waterloo as proposed by Council in its response to RWA’s BEP2. The
BEP2 areas including the conservation area now appear as expected growth
Precincts see map TNSW
MP Inner Sydney Growth Precincts between 2011 and 2031.]

Transport Corridors

4.2.1 Our most
constrained strategic corridors p84

The six corridors already experiencing high
constraint are:

Sydney Airport to the
CBD –
The
corridor linking Sydney Airport to the CBD is serviced by a Motorway link
(Southern Cross Drive/Eastern Distributor); an arterial road network that
provides access to Redfern, Central Station and the southern end of the CBD;
and the East Hills Rail Line that connects the Airport to Central Station and
the City Circle.

Southern Cross Drive currently operates at capacity
during the morning peak period with a V/C ratio exceeding 1.0 and average
speeds of 35 km/h. Due to congestion on the Eastern Distributor, traffic
diverts onto the adjacent arterial road network including O’Riordan and Bourke
Streets which are also congested. The Airport Rail Line is approaching seated
capacity between Green Square and Central.

Increasing activity at Sydney Airport, population
and employment growth in the South Sydney and Airport areas (including Green
Square) and higher traffic along strategic connections to the South West Growth
Centre, including the M5, will place increasing pressure on this corridor.
Travel demand between the Airport and the CBD is forecast to grow to 24,000 by
2031 for the morning peak, an equivalent of six lanes of traffic or more than
25 train loads of seated passengers.

Traffic
to and from the Airport mixes with through-traffic to and from the CBD. A
solution for the corridor must address both types of traffic.

Figure
4.8 Sydney Airport to the CBD, volume to capacity, 2011 and 2031 ‘do nothing’
scenario

Around Redfern, volume to
capacity, 2011 and 2031 ‘do minimum’ scenario

                                                           
2011               
2031

Car – Southern Cross Drive       
         
1.04                
1.12     p84

Car – O’Riordan
St                        
      
1.11                
1.20     p84

Car – Elizabeth
Street                   
      0.59                
0.69     p84

Rail – Green Square – Central       
     
0.97                
1.58     p84

Rail – Macdonaldtown – Redfern     
   
0.98                
1.47     p86

Trips to the Airport (p117)

Travel demands associated with Sydney Airport
continue to grow. At present, around 100,000 trips are made every weekday to
and from the Airport. Roughly one third (36 percent) of these trips start in
the CBD and inner Sydney, with the next greatest proportion of travellers (13
percent) coming from the North Shore/ Northern Beaches. The majority of these
travellers must pass along the Airport to CBD corridor to reach the airport.

Activity at Sydney Airport is forecast to double
over the next 25 years: from 36 million trips each year to 79 million trips.
This means that airport traffic by itself will have a major impact on the
corridor, before any other growing demands are taken into account – such as
travel from South West Sydney to the CBD or an increase in freight bound for
Port Botany.

Action: Address pinch
points and congestion in the Port Botany and Sydney Airport precinct p203-4

An efficient road network around Port Botany and
Sydney Airport will minimise congestion and make better use of existing
investments. We will relieve pinch points and better manage road space in the
precinct, delivering a targeted package of works that includes: …

  • Implementing
    one-way pairs road operation on Bourke Road and O’Riordan Street to manage
    increased traffic, with complementary measures including the removal of
    parking, provision of bus priority, enhanced pedestrian movements and
    examination of an alternative cycleway. This action: Provides greater through
    capacity for Bourke Road and O’Riordan Street
  • Removes
    contra-flow turning conflicts on the existing arterial roads, improving route
    safety
  • Enhances
    the through capacity for freight movement along the two road corridors
  • Provides
    for a dedicated bus-lane on each road to link Green Square and the Mascot
    precinct supporting a future possible project to provide bus priority along the
    O’Riordan Street corridor                

4.5
Providing transport to a growing CBD p113

While Sydney’s CBD is growing, so too is high
volume activity and high density living across Sydney City and the Global
Economic Corridor. New growth in areas to the immediate west, north, south and
south east of the CBD are creating opportunities to expand cultural, leisure,
tourism and economic activity.

The growth in these places is predominantly
situated within reach of existing transport and other supporting
infrastructure. But the expansion of the inner Sydney footprint will also
create challenges alongside opportunities. Travel demand will grow and travel
patterns will change as more people choose to live and work in these areas.

Figure
4.39 shows the precincts in inner Sydney with significant forecasted population
and jobs growth between 2011 and 2031. This development includes the
intensification of jobs in Randwick and the increase of employment in the urban
renewal areas of Barangaroo, Green Square and Redfern-Waterloo.

[REDWatch Note – While this is the only reference to
Redfern & Waterloo in the growth section text, “Figure 4.39: Precincts with
forecast significant population and employment growth between 2011 and 2031 in inner
Sydney” shows Darlington & West Redfern along with East Chippendale as
Growth Precincts. The proposed redevelopment of Redfern and Waterloo Public
Housing and Ashmore Estate are now shown as a Growth Precinct on this map which
can be seen on page 114 of the Master Plan or in the extract on REDWatch at TNSW MP Inner Sydney
Growth Precincts between 2011 and 2031.]

Source: NSW Long Term
Transport Master Plan.

The full Master Plan can be downloaded from Final
Master Plan – All chapters (large document) – This file is 43MB PDF.

Sections mainly referencing Redfern and Waterloo Referenced
above can be found in

From the following link you can a similar analysis of the Draft
Redfern
& NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan – Exhibition Until 26 Oct