FW: snippets, Mon.14.8.17
  Roderick Smith

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From: Roderick Smith [mailto:rodsmith@werple.net.au]
Sent: Monday, 14 August 2017 9:28 PM
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Subject: snippets, Mon.14.8.17

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170813Su Melbourne 'Herald Sun' - letters, energy. with tdu.

170814M Melbourne 'Age' - Elizabeth St at 6.53 (Justin McManus).

170814M 'SMH'- metro.

Roderick

Melbourne Express: Monday, August 14, 2017.
Melbourne's Elizabeth Street at 6.53am on Monday, August 14, 12017. Photo:
Justin McManus .
<www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbourne-express-monday-august-14-2017-20170813
-gxve17.html>

August 14 2017 Cabinet leak: Sydney to Parramatta in 15 minutes possible,
but not preferred .
A final decision on the route for the Sydney Metro West rail link is shaping
up to be a contest between a line that provides an express 15-minute service
from the CBD to Parramatta with only five stations, and a 25-minute route
with 12 underground stations known as Metro Local South.
Another route known as Metro Rapid promises a 20-minute journey at speeds of
up to 130 kilometres per hour along a train line with 10 stations that takes
in Five Dock and North Burwood.
Sydney Metro West promo
Sydney’s next big public transport project will be a new underground metro
railway linking the Parramatta and Sydney CBDs, and communities along the
way.
Trains on the express route would travel at up to 160 km/h and those on the
Metro Local South route at up to 100 km/h.
The fourth route, and the least likely to eventuate, would be Metro Local
North, which would run via Drummoyne and under Sydney Harbour to Ryde in the
north before finishing at Parramatta.
All four options in the Cabinet paper seen by Fairfax Media and the ABC run
from Pitt Street in the CBD and have benefit-cost ratios well in excess of
1, meaning the benefits such as travel time savings for tens of thousands of
commuters exceed the costs of constructing and operating the line.
The preferred option – Metro Local South – along which driverless,
single-deck trains would run takes in the Bays Precinct at Rozelle,
Lilyfield, Concord and Silverwater.
The 15-minute express option, with only five stations, performs the worst
when subjected to benefit-cost analysis. Although the fastest route on offer
with impressive time savings, it has only two points of interconnection with
heavy rail or light rail networks, limiting its use.
Its benefit-cost ratio of around 1.7 is about the same as that presented in
the business case for the WestConnex toll road.
Most of the proposed metro line is expected to run through tunnels. Photo:
Geoff Jones The Metro Rapid option has a much higher benefit-cost ratio of
around 2.5, meaning the benefits are more than twice the costs. Metro Local
South and Metro Local North have benefit-cost ratios well in excess of 2.
Among the benefits identified for the project are public transport time
savings, reduced train and station crowding, shorter waiting times, improved
rail reliability and private vehicle travel-time savings.
Driverless, single-deck trains will run along the new line to Parramatta.
Photo: Supplied The analysis raises questions about why the Metro West rail
project wasn't considered as an alternative to WestConnex, given that most
of its variants have better benefit-cost ratios.
Excluding it as an alternative when WestConnex was first considered made the
$16.8 billion toll-road project appear to be the best available option.
An internal Transport for NSW memo released under the NSW Government
Information Public Access Act refers to a Cabinet directive not to consider
public transport alternatives to road projects.
It suggests Cabinet forbade the consideration of public transport
alternatives to toll-road projects including the F6 Extension and the
Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link.
"It would be extraordinarily foolhardy to consider that academic transport
economists, transport practitioners and a range of stakeholders will not
raise these issues," it said.
"There is considerable political and reputational risks associated with not
considering options."
The Metro Local North and Metro Local South routes would each cost up to $15
billion to build (in 2016 dollars) and around $2 billion to run over 30
years.
In contrast, the Metro Rapid would cost around $13 billion to build and the
Metro Express less than $12 billion.
But the Metro Local North and Metro Local South options allow the government
to recoup money from developers who buy air rights above 12 new underground
stations. It boosts the expected benefit-cost ratios from around 1.8 to
around 2.3.
The number of stations will also be crucial to determining the final price
for constructing the line because a typical underground station can cost
between $400 million and $500 million.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance said no decisions
had been made on either the funding mechanism or development around Metro
West.
Well planned cities needed smart investment in both road and rail
infrastructure. "Thanks to the strength of the NSW budget, we can invest in
both. Our $41.5 billion investment in roads and rail infrastructure is
evenly split between roads and public transport," he said.
While the Berejiklian government is still some time away from revealing the
exact route for the new metro line running mostly through tunnels, it has
named Parramatta, Olympic Park, the Bays Precinct and the central city as
locations for stations.
Under its timetable, the new line will be built next decade and be
operational in the second half of the 2020s. It will link to the $20
billion-plus metro railway under construction, the first stage of which from
the city's north-west to Chatswood is due for completion in 2019.
The second stage will continue on to the central business district, Sydenham
and on the existing Bankstown line, and should open in 2023.
The new Sydney Metro West will also dovetail with the planned 22-km light
rail line to be built in two stages from Westmead and Parramatta to Olympic
Park and Strathfield. Construction is due to begin next year at a cost of
more than $3.5 billion.
Related Articles:
Clamour for stations on new metro line .
Metro West train line: Up to a dozen stations possible .
<www.smh.com.au/nsw/cabinet-leak-sydney-to-parramatta-in-15-minutes-possible
-but-not-preferred-20170813-gxv226.html>
* you know why Westconnex is being built but you continue to ignore the
facts.
Roads pay their way, rail loses 78cents in the dollar. Pure economics.
* Then there is the 800% increase in profit by Transurban the toll road
operator this year, gouging the Sydney motorist.
The West Connex is merely an unsustainable monolith that will not serve
Sydney when its clogged almost daily in say in a decade.
* Railways are the most efficient option for moving large numbers of people,
plus take cars off the roads. Rail is the most efficient way to move people
and freight, not the smoke billowing 1500+ trucks that traverse Syd roads
per day (and that's just the container terminal trucks). Check out some
economic research into this : www.bitre.gov.au/publications
* More cars leads to more traffic congestion. More trains lead to less
traffic congestion. Most people don't like being stuck amongst a whole lot
of cars and trucks.
* The obsession by this Lib/Nat government with METRO style train is
ludicrous. Sydney basin is much larger than London and NYC so trips are
longer on average. On hot summer days, even with air-conditioning on,
standing for 40~80 minutes every day would be very unpopular. It also adds
additional costs to the maintenance of the 2 different fleets/systems
costing the whole network much more costly to run.
Saving of 10~15 minutes from Parramatta to Townhall does not justify the
costs and the fact that most districts do not have stations even the track
run through them. It defeats the purpose of 'METRO' which means many stops
along the route.
All the existing lines and proposed lines go to the city. Sydney network
needs to have CRISS-CROSS lines over existing lines to link one side of the
basin to the other side without going to the city like they have in London
and NYC. Criss-cross lines would take significant number of cars off the
road and many could change trains closer to their destinations instead of
going all the way to the city for train changes.
eg Epping/St Leonards/Five Docks/Burwood/Bankstown/East Hills link.
Parramatta/Burwood/Canterbury/Kingsgrove/Hurstville link.
One simple way to reduce crowding. Extends the platforms to 10 carriage
length from the current 8 car length for all City Stations and add 2 more
carriages per service. Then add more entrances away from existing city
station entrances to speed up platform passenger movements. Passengers would
learn which ends of train to ride on the way back home. This would
automatically add opacity by 25% and existing time tables could be kept more
or less. If they are tearing down 17~18 CBD buildings for the Metro, the
platform extensions for City stations should be more than doable too.
* pure economics also factors in the cost of the vehicles. When you travel
by rail the vehicle is supplied with your fare. When you use a toll road,
the user supplies the vehicle.
* Metro operating costs are significantly lower than the suburban network,
even if you need to maintain two fleets. Regardless of form factor, you
still need more trains and the suburban network is already maintaining 7 or
8 different types of units. One more type of unit makes little difference
but you save a lot in staff costs and infrastructure maintenance Most people
will not be standing for most of the journey so the "standing for 80
minutes" thing is a furphy. Particularly as this story is about a
CBD-Parramatta route where the max journey time will be 20-25 minutes
Extending platforms is not easy, and certainly not in the CBD stations.
There is no room at Central (platforms hemmed in by the flying junctions to
the osuth and Eddy Avenue to the north), at Wynyard and Town Hall you would
need to do a major dig that would require interruption of services for
months/years. It's not an option. 8 car trains is as long as they will ever
be Don't disagree with you on the cross-city routes but in a world where
BCAs have to be demonstrated, they're always going to struggle against CBD
routes in the hunt for scarce resources
* The untolled road system (the vast majority of it) costs 100c in the
dollar, by your method of calculation.
* congestion is the reason for WestConnex, it is the prime consideration. To
suggest that it's been ignored makes you look desperate and/or completely
out of touch with reality.
Where is your evidence that WestConnex will be "clogged almost daily within
a decade"? As the new rail projects come on-line, it will have a massive
de-stressing effect on current infrastructure, including WestConnex. You
have to look at the whole picture, not just pick and choose the little bits
that suit your agenda. When it's all completed, Sydney will be in the best
shape it's been in since the 1950s. It's just a shame none of this was done
20 years ago, before the need got so desperate.
trains may look efficient on paper but you still have to get people to the
station? It would be easier for me to walk to work than try to get to the
nearest railway station. Stations will need massive amounts of car parking
to be effective and roads to get the cars there.
I think you will find just as many people who hate being stuck in a sweaty
train or bus with a thousand other smelly, sweaty people. At least when I'm
in my car I can listen to music as loud as I like without getting dirty
looks from anyone and I'm guaranteed of a seat for the whole journey.
the biggest problem with our current network is dwell time at stations,
because it takes far too long to get people on and off the trains. That's
why they are going for Metro trains. And for the record, both NYC and London
are way, way bigger than Sydney.
* The metro choice is purely based on ideological hatred of union
involvement in rail. All the new metros and light rails will be privately
run, owned and operated. This is the tip of the wedge before the entire
public transport network is privatised, damn the cost, or consequences. As
you say Sydney's low density population, and vast distances are the exact
opposite of what needs a metro. The only route that makes sense for a metyro
is the Bondi to city line and maybe the city circle.
Apart from cost blowouts as we have seen with Melbourbe's deplorable
privatised system, the litany of faults will be huge, the price rises will
be frequent and the service will be second rate. All the experts told Barry
O'Failure that the second harbour crossing needed to accommodate Interuban
trains, but Gladys and Constance ignored this and deliberately ordered the
tunnels to only fit single deck Metro.
A one of chance and it has been hijacked by those that hate PT and hate
government ownership of pretty much anything. Utter disgrace.
* Why is the public transport priority to build new metro stations in inner
west suburbs like Burwood and Rozelle which are already well served by
public transport. The new metro service will not significantly improve
travel times to Parramatta which are currently available on trains.
The best of these options along Victoria Rd is apparently the least likely
to occur. Considering the amount of development along Victoria Rd it would
make sense to develop this corridor.
* Much as I'd like to see it - there's much more density along the corridor
on the south side of the river - especially once you factor in the coming
Rosehill/Camelia developments along with increased density along Parramatta
Rd.
I suspect that some of the traffic currently crossing the Gladesville and
Iron Cove bridges will disappear once the NW metro opens anyway
* Have you seen the plans for Burwood (and several other places on
Parramatta Rd)? It will become the new Chatswood/North Sydney with high
rises down from the station to Parramatta Rd and then spreading out down
Parra Rd towards Strathfield and Croydon. There's one bus on that route,
about to be privatised. Existing rail lines predicted to be full by 2025.
We probably need most of these lines. A comprehensive underground. Let the
developers pay!
* South of the river, you got Sydney Western Rail, M4, Parramatta Road, a
new light rail from WestMead, Parramatta, through Sydnet Olympic Park to
Strathfield.
Whereas north of the river, you only got very congested Victoria Road, plus
there could be more potential developments along Victoria Road.
A new Metro along Victoria Road makes more sense.
* Again people in areas without sufficient public transport miss out.
* Metro Local North along Victoria Road would be the best option.
The new metro should cover move area, and serve more people.
South of Parramatta River, there are many public transport options, plus a
new light rail to the Olympic Park.
* A lot of trains already do Parramatta to Town Hall in 29 minutes. How does
saving 14 minutes make economic sense?
* It doesn't. Parramatta needs to be connected with all areas not Sydney
CBD. A light rail down Parra Rd past UTS/Sydney uni/RPA etc connecting all
the local precincts to each other and Parra would have far more benefit.
* Serves additional areas, provides (much needed) extra capacity.
It must be faster than 25 minutes though. This rules out both "local"
options, although if the Local North route was done AS WELL (at some point)
that wouldn't be a bad outcome Metro rapid the best of these choices.
Specify it with stock that can do 160kph even if the line speed is 130 and
you could feasibly extend to Badgery's Creek as well. All stopping metros at
100kph will be far too slow for this service
* Halving the travel time allows for faster turnaround of the trains for
more services; and takes pressure off the existing system. It is more
competitive than a motorway, and less per kilometre to construct.
Then there is the unfactored relief of stress; and savings on hospital
emergencies, ambulance, police, and rescue with fewer car accidents.
* It makes sense as they need more capacity. Western Line will be full by
2030. 29 mins is no good to you if you can't get on a train.
* It's never been a case of economic sense.
For the one third of us who live outside Sydney there can be no greater use
of our money than building new public transport that can allow the good
people of Parramatta to sleep in for an extra fourteen minutes.
* "There is considerable political and reputational risks associated with
not considering options." Yeah, and not to mention that generations of
Sydney-siders now have to live with the poor outcomes that are delivered.
I've long said that the WestConnex should have been a rail link.
High-speed, limited stops from Badgerys Creek so passengers from the new
airport could have been in Parramatta CBD in 10-mintues & downtown Sydney in
20.
Then run an all-stops metro line in tandem. Service all major stations with
a network of light rail.
Your 'pure economics' don't take into account the enormous damage done by
toll roads - destruction of property, pollution, decreased amenity,
increased traffic & congestion.
Modern rail is more likely to pay its way but sometimes, and this is what
governments are supposed to do, you take a hit in one area because the gains
are enormous in other areas.
Comfortable, convenient and fast rail would improve the quality of life for
an enormous number of people, improve tourist access (one of tourists
greatest complaints about Sydney - hard to get anywhere from the CBD) and as
a consequence stimulate the economy.
* There is already Sydney Western Rail running parallel to M4, but fails to
take cars out of M4.
Road is needed as well.
* WestConnex is more eminent than new metro to Badgerys Creek. A metro to
Badgerys Creek will probably be needed in 20 years, but definitely not now.
* Go to Vienna. Go to London. Go to Paris. Go to Zurich, Frankfurt, Berlin.
Ride the public transport systems; then drive a car through the cities, and
tell me which option you liked best.
* So here's an idea - have the new metro circle around through Parramatta
and up via North Parramatta and Carlingford to Epping to replace the
never-built Epping to Parramatta link.
Then convert the Carlingford line into a light rail service shuttling
between Carlingford and Parramatta - jumping off the rail link at Camelia
and going into the Parra CBD via Hassel St. - which would cost very little
and provide a much better service.
* Time for this govt to go. When is the next election? We will be choking in
pollution and traffic on toll roads sooner rather than later. What a legacy!
Goodbye Gladys!
* In the photo why are people standing when there's sets? Do they want
people to stand. It's much safer in be seated if there's an accident .
* Not one of the three orbital metro lines for this area of Sydney are
shown.The 29km Circle Mero is not shown. Stage 1 of the NSW fast train
corridor is not shown. ALL of these must be known BEFORE the Olympic Park
Metro is built. All the new metro east/west and north/south lines must go
through Redfern One, the original "central station". With its central
geographical advantages, Redfern must ultimately become the main station for
Sydney.
* Why Redfern - there's nothing much there.
Martin Place makes more sense to expand, as it already covers the eastern
suburbs line, southern line and soon a stop for the NW metro. It's far more
convenient to most CBD offices, and only 1 stop from Town Hall and 2 stops
from Central for those than need to change to other lines.
* BBB (Baird's Building Boom) has done nothing to improve Sydney except make
it ugly with LA style freeway overpasses and giant "barns" in Darling
Harbour (shadowing the once light filled precinct)...while I support rail
projects, this rail project will just line the pockets of mega-wealthy
overseas shareholders as they own the tollways, the construction companies,
the rail stock to ride the rails and the machinery used to produce these
projects...we make very little in Aust now thanks to the Fed Govt, not even
fridges!!! NZ does, and even has a bigger high tech value added industry
than ours.
* And what about something for the long suffering residents along the
northern beaches? Will they have to put up with buses on the congested roads
forever. Oh I know why...The Coalition has two safe seats there so their
votes are yet again taken for granted, and Labor won't do it for the same
reason.
How is this for a platform at the next State election:
1. Light rail from Many to Mona Vale.
2. Bridge across Middle Harbour from Willoughby to Seaforth 3. Elimination
of parking meters at northern beaches 4. Retention of Mona Vale Hospital as
an A&E facility
* I believe that the metro link under the Harbour retains capacity to
include a Northern Beaches link at a later date.
For my money even a link from the city to Dee Why would make a huge
difference, with buses from the outer NB suburbs converging on Dee Why as a
transfer point.
* It's not a toll road .. it'll never happen. We've had so many of these
grand proposals over the decades and none have eventuated. They're all just
smoke & mirrors.
* THIS government is actually building major rail project though. You must
have noticed. One is about 75% through and the other has just kicked off.
West Metro is the next cab off the rank. Why doubt that it will happen?
* It will be like the M4 toll, which the Greater West will pay for the
entire West Connex project.
* Metro North please!
* This may be all very good and fine for what it is, but duplicating an
existing line CBD to Parramatta is tunnel vision to the end of one's nose at
best. Get the 160 km line built, avoiding existing stations, service areas
that don't have rail, keep going past Parramatta to the new airport, and
keep going from there to Canberra airport and Canberra city. Sydney centric,
small minded thinking is holding this state back. Think big, and just do it..

Planned apartments which are nearly all sold dumped for $50m Carrum beach
promenade.
Moorabbin Kingston Leader August 14, 2017.
PLANNED luxury beachside apartments and a community shared workplace and
cafe have fallen victim to the State Government’s $50 million promenade
project in Carrum.
A block of five properties, including two parcels of land, will be cleared
to make way for a beach promenade — dubbed a “sky rail sweetener” by critics
— when the controversial rail bridge is built following level crossing
removal.
Both vacant plots have been earmarked for apartments and a sign on one says
80 per cent have already been sold off the plans.
The Level Crossing Removal Authority has promised to offer “fair and
reasonable” compensation to all owners.
“We know this is a difficult time for the affected owners, tenants and off
the plan purchasers,” project director Adam Maguire said.
“Our team is working closely with all parties to assist them through the
acquisition process.”
Leader understands the compensation will be based on the land’s market value
plus any stamp duty and conveyancing costs needed to buy a replacement site..
It will also reimburse costs of legal and or valuation advice, where
reasonable.
An artist’s impression of how the new area will look.
Carrum businessman Georges McKail, founder and owner of cafe and community
enterprise, Beach Lane said he was given just an hour’s notice before the
State Government announced it would acquire his property for the promenade
project.
Mr McKail said he was aware of the promenade’s possibility for the past
three months, but the formal notice of acquisition came just before the plan
was made public.
He said he would now talk to "key players” and hoped Beach Lane would have a
presence in the new precinct.
Beach Lane owner Georges McKail hopes his cafe and community enterprise can
still be part of the new beach promenade. Picture: Daniel Pockett “I’m still
planning to talk to the key players — the council, the Level Crossing
Removal Authority, the local member (Labor MP for Carrum Sonya Kilkenny) —
about our options moving forward,” Mr McKail said.
“What that means I don’t exactly know, but we’re not packing our bags and
closing the doors just like that.”
Ms Kilkenny said she would “do everything I can” to support Beach Lane space
that houses start-up ventures, community events and workshops, as well the
cafe.
“I would love to see Beach Lane stay in Carrum,” she said.
Protesters take to the streets to fight Sky Rail project plans.
The level crossing removals are due to get underway in Carrum next year,
with contracts expected to be awarded this December.
The work at Carrum includes a new Patterson River road bridge, the extension
of McLeod Rd, a new Carrum train station, a village square, the relocation
of the train stabling yards to Kananook, extra car parking, new community
areas, spaces for new shops and cafes, walking and cycling paths and, the
Carrum Beach promenade.
RELATED: Beach promenade for skyrail suburb.
RELATED: Parliamentary plea to keep road open.
RELATED: Fears sky rail will hit house prices.
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/planned-apartments-which-are-nearly
-all-sold-dumped-for-50m-carrum-beach-promenade/news-story/f0f5ea30ec8f0179d
db66659b9458a46>

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