Blocking the stable gates

Wansey Road, Randwick

At the Surry Hills Community Forum at Sydney High School in April, there were plants in the audience who were not from the local area. Clover Moore knew where they were and had the microphone handed to them. One after the other they got up and chanted the same mantra: light rail brings about urban renewal. It is extremely difficult to see how this could happen.

There are six dots on the Randwick branch of the tram lines: one is in Moore Park, two are in Centennial Park, two are at either end of Wansey Road and one is on the Randwick Triangular traffic island. Only the stop on the Randwick Triangle is remotely adjacent to bus routes.

Needless to say, the stops blocking off both ends of Wansey Road, which were announced of December 13 without any warning or consultation, are causing anxiety to the residents of the road, which abuts the stables (the green roofed buildings) and marshalling areas of Randwick Racecourse.

If Clover Moore and her henchpersons are to be believed, the next property developer billionaires will be thoroughbred race horses. Given the recent history of property developers in Sydney, this would be a welcome development, however improbable.