The mystery of the extra dot

When the Environmental Impact Statement for the final design of the Eastern Distributor was exhibited concerned citizens were calling for the closure of the exclusive bus roadway through Moore Park. Fortunately the study was open to ridicule as a cross-section of the tunnels showed a bus stopped as Drivers Triangle, and the bus roadway was saved. It proved to be a Games saver in September 2000.

Special Events buses which include bendy buses, loop round to stops outside the SCG adjacent to Driver Avenue. Different stops take bus passengers to Central, Circular Quay and parking areas at the University of NSW and Goulburn Street. The buses to Central loop back to stops in Chalmers Street along Foveaux Street, Elizabeth Street and Randle Street. Special Events in general do not clash with peak hours so there are lots of buses to spare.

The brochure on Sydney's Light Rail Future, the only information we have been given, did not include a dot at the SCG as you can see in the right-hand map in the Header. However a dot has appeared on subsequent fliers and Chris Lock has said that there could be a spur rail or loop but this still has to be designed. So what prompted the change of heart?

In fact, O'Farrell has secret plans for the loop used for two hours after Special Events and he is desperate that no information comes out before the ESI for The Project has been released. Attempts by PUSH to gain information under the Freedom of Information Act have been rebuffed by the Minister on the grounds that "the Government has released detailed information about our light rail project in [the] Sydney's Light Rail Future [document] ... and at community meetings and events held since".

Sydney Swans' morning training session

The oval in the centre of the bus loop is readily accessible through the bus stops and is just across from the first floor gym at the Swans' headquarters. How much of it will remain after Moore Park has had trenches dug through it and has bunkers for drainage water and sculptured hillocks for the excavated soil as at Prince Albert Park wont be known until the end of the process. Now that Sydney Council is involved we can expect delays and endless redesigns.