The perpetrators
They did not know it was a suicide attack!
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| Gay zealot |
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| Wanted for questioning |
A dastardly attack
Barry O'Farrell launched his preemptive strike against the Eastern Suburbs on 10 months ago today, on December 13, 2012. Since then we have tried in vain to find out details that would allow independent assessments of the project. On Tuesday evening I attended a overflowing meeting to hear details of an alternative route (not the alternative route I detailed in my letter to the Minister) that had been prepared by an engineer who has worked on heavy rail projects. He had made a direct presentation to the Minister and Project officers a week earlier. At the meeting we were told that PUSH had spent more than $30,000 on advancing its case. The next day Channel 10 was preparing a report on the meeting and asked the Minister's office for a comment.
O'Farrell responded with the launch of a media blitz detailing plans to, in the words on the Channel 10 News report, remove cars from the CBD. O'Farrell had not even had the decency to communicate directly with the presenters.
Incredibly, the brochure released by Transport for NSW on September 11, entitled "Sydney City Center Access Strategy for further consultation", does not contain any more details than were given the December 13 brochure. There are however, startling revisions to the original plans outlined in the first brochure. We will outline some of these changes.
Chalmers Street Stop moved and rebadged
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| Original artists impression of Chalmers Street stop |
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| Only the names on the shelters and the pedestrians have been changed |
The artists impression of the stop in Chalmers Street released by TfNSW has been reproduced in countless mail drops from the Sydney City Council and Clover Moore, and shows the stop to be alongside the Dental Hospital. Bear in mind that this stop has to accommodate two cattle cars coupled together. There is bus adjacent to the eastern platform but I have tried in vain to find out in there will be a lane for general traffic.
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| Full size from 9 September brochure |
Incredibly, the brochure released 10 months after gives no further information and is deliberately deceptive. The tram tracks are depicted by the dotted red line running along Chalmers Street, Eddy Avenue and Rawson Place. The tram stop icon is midway between the Eddy Avenue and Devonshire Street access points to Central Station and is now on the eastern side of the tram tracks, with the bus stop icons on the western side of the road.
The text says: "It is likely that only two lanes will be available for general traffic and bus operations in Chalmers Street based on the needs of light rail operations." That is to say, one lane for bus stops and one for through bus and general traffic.
There is no possibility for Elizabeth Street buses that are terminated to turn around other than to make a hair-pin U-turn around the Dental Hospital - no bendy buses for South Sydney, Green Square and Botany. Buses making such a turn would block the one through-traffic lane. The text makes the understatement: "Further planning is being undertaken ... to confirm the appropriateness of this arrangement."
The arrow along Randle Street labeled 2 is not referred to in the text, inexplicably. It would confirm our greatest fears: that Transport for NSW wants to reduce Elizabeth Street to two lanes each way at its critical entry point to the CBD. This was apparently suppressed before the brochure went to press to prevent informed analysis of its Project. Ironically the brochure is titled " for further consultation".
The text says: "It is likely that only two lanes will be available for general traffic and bus operations in Chalmers Street based on the needs of light rail operations." That is to say, one lane for bus stops and one for through bus and general traffic.
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| Crunch point, Chalmers and Foveaux Streets |
There is no possibility for Elizabeth Street buses that are terminated to turn around other than to make a hair-pin U-turn around the Dental Hospital - no bendy buses for South Sydney, Green Square and Botany. Buses making such a turn would block the one through-traffic lane. The text makes the understatement: "Further planning is being undertaken ... to confirm the appropriateness of this arrangement."
The arrow along Randle Street labeled 2 is not referred to in the text, inexplicably. It would confirm our greatest fears: that Transport for NSW wants to reduce Elizabeth Street to two lanes each way at its critical entry point to the CBD. This was apparently suppressed before the brochure went to press to prevent informed analysis of its Project. Ironically the brochure is titled " for further consultation".
Central Station Stop eliminated, stop in Rawson Place
PUSH wrote to Transport for NSW inquiring as to why there were two stops close together in Chalmers Street and Eddy Avenue. The reply was that the two stops were essential to the planning of the light rail. The foreshadowed stop in Eddy Avenue is now eliminated.
There is a tram stop at the western end of Rawson Place now, with bus stop icons in Pitt Street, Rawson Place and George Street. The text states: "Based on current planning, the light rail line will run two-way along the southern edge of Rawson Place with buses running westbound along its northern edge. General traffic would no longer operate in Rawson Place."
The reason for moving the tram stop is obvious: buses being terminated will circulate anti-clockwise allowing the bus stops to be closer to the tram platforms, as detailed in the post on the Randwick Triangle. Duh!
However the closure of Rawson Place to general traffic and the bus stops in Pitt Street will have dire consequences for Parramatta Road and City Road Public Bus services, whether they are terminated or recruited to crush the Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street bus services. These consequences will be deal with in detail in subsequent posts.
There is a tram stop at the western end of Rawson Place now, with bus stop icons in Pitt Street, Rawson Place and George Street. The text states: "Based on current planning, the light rail line will run two-way along the southern edge of Rawson Place with buses running westbound along its northern edge. General traffic would no longer operate in Rawson Place."
The reason for moving the tram stop is obvious: buses being terminated will circulate anti-clockwise allowing the bus stops to be closer to the tram platforms, as detailed in the post on the Randwick Triangle. Duh!
However the closure of Rawson Place to general traffic and the bus stops in Pitt Street will have dire consequences for Parramatta Road and City Road Public Bus services, whether they are terminated or recruited to crush the Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street bus services. These consequences will be deal with in detail in subsequent posts.
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