New South Wales

"AN integrated body is needed to make plans and take charge. No matter how visionary a transport plan may be, it will succeed only if it is supported by a strong management structure committed to its long-term implementation."

The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) this week advocated for an integrated and strong governance structure for transport, in order to secure appropriate funding and resources, resist short-term political considerations and to effectively manage the whole public transport system.

The article states that without such a governance structure, it is likely that any plan will fail. As evidence of such failures, the article cites the fact that since the 1940s, at least six major public transport plans have been announced for Sydney, while only "a fraction of the promises were honoured."

THE NSW Government announced on Tuesday that it has stopped the acquisition of properties for the Sydney Metro in the Rozelle area, until the NSW Government makes a final decision on the project late next month.

Premier Kristina Keneally said this is about providing clarity and certainty for the businesses in the area and that the Metro is being considered as part of an overall and broader approach to integrated land use and transport planning. "We are committed to a Metro network for Sydney, but the plan that we put to the people has to meet the needs of where commuters live and work by combining land use and transport planning," Ms Keneally said.

The announcement triggered speculation that the seven kilometre metro project from Rozelle to Central would not proceed.

A NSW Government decision to approve a 600 dwelling development in Catherine Hill has been ruled invalid by the Land and Environment Court today.  The decision also applies to a project application for another 187 dwelling development at nearby Gwandalan.

Approval was given by the former Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, to allow Rose Group to build 600 dwellings at Catherine Hill Bay and 187 dwellings at Gwandalan.

Under a deal with the NSW Government, Rose Group had agreed to hand over approximately 300 hectares of land for a national park in return for development rights on 60 hectares.

LOCAL councils representing 1.6 million western Sydney residents have backed a union plan to build three rail lines in western and southern Sydney.

The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils says a blueprint prepared by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union would reach into the corners of south-western and north-western Sydney that are poorly served by public transport... [Read more at Sydney Morning Herald].

THE Sydney Morning Herald reports today that public transport experts are urging the NSW Government to "postpone the Metro rail plan and invest in some quick fixes to get commuters moving quickly".

Peter Moore, the director of the International Union of Public Transport Australia-New Zealand believes the Government should focus on improvements that will be complete within the next five to 10 years by extending heavy rail, building rapid transit-ways for buses in the outer suburbs and building light rail within the inner city.

Backing the metro through the CBD as a "30-year plan", Moore states that population density in Sydney is sufficient for public transport and increased usage can be achieved through regular bus and train timetables. [Read more at Sydney Morning Herald].

[NSW Government Media Release]

PREMIER Nathan Rees today welcomed the latest public transport figures which saw a rise of more than 10.5 million journeys by passengers on our trains, buses and ferries, over the last financial year.

"This is a vote of confidence in our public transport system," said Mr Rees.

"We already have the biggest transport network in the country and we have seen patronage continue to rise steadily.

"During these tough times, it's even more important to have affordable and reliable public transport.

"These increases result in less congested roads and environmental benefits by reducing pollution.

THE Department of Planning states that the Draft Centres Policy "provides a planning framework for the development of new and existing retail and commercial centres in NSW".

As outlined in the document, the policy is based on six planning principles:

• Retail and commercial activity should be located in centres to ensure the most efficient use of transport and other infrastructure, proximity to labour markets, and to improve the amenity and liveability of those centres.
• The planning system should be flexible enough to enable centres to grow, and new centres to form.
• The market is best placed to determine the need for retail and commercial development. The role of the planning system is to regulate the location and scale of development to accommodate market demand.
• The planning system should ensure that the supply of available floorspace always accommodates the market demand, to help facilitate new entrants into the market and promote competition.