Monorail to be pulled down
Steve Jacobs
March 23, 2012 - 11:16AM
The NSW government has bought the company that owns the light rail and the monorail and has announced it will be pulled down, a move welcomed by lord mayor Clover Moore.
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian made the announcement at Darling Harbour today.
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The light rail network will be extended in its place.
The removal of the monorail will allow the accommodation of the new convention centre at Darling Harbour.
"This is good news for Sydney. It delivers certainty for business wanting to invest in the Darling Harbour precinct and allows the efficient development of the light rail network," Mr O'Farrell said today.
"The monorail is not integrated with Sydney's wider public transport network and has never been truly embraced by the community.
"While it has been a controversial part of Sydney's history for more than 20 years, the monorail is reaching the end of its economic life and the NSW government cannot justify costly upgrades like the purchase of new vehicles required to keep it running.
"This decision paves the way for the development of a world-class Sydney international convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct as the NSW government gets on with the job of making NSW No.1 again."
Under the deal, the government has bought Metro Transport Sydney (MTS) for $19.8 million and, for now, the operation of light rail and monorail services will continue as usual under the contract with Veolia, the Premier and the minister said in a joint statement.
The removal of the monorail will occur as soon as feasible after obtaining the necessary approvals and consulting with stakeholders, the statement said.
Ms Berejiklian said the simplified contractual arrangements would make it easier for the government to expand the light rail network.
"The NSW government is committed to expanding light rail and extending the Inner West Light Rail to Dulwich Hill," she said.
"This purchase gives certainty to transport planners and will ensure light rail is fully integrated with the wider public transport network.
"The Light Rail Strategic Plan - examining the feasibility of extending the light rail network through Sydney's CBD, to the University of Sydney and the University of NSW - will be completed in the middle of this year, and the government looks forward to examining its findings," she said.
Lord mayor Clover Moore said in a statement: "This is exactly what we've been waiting for from this government - big, bold transport projects.
"I welcome the purchase of Metro Transport Sydney, which will help fully integrate the current light rail system into the expanded network now being planned.
"Removal of the ugly and intrusive monorail is also the right next step. Replacing it with efficient and effective light rail will improve transport access in central Sydney."
Infrastructure Partnerships Australia said the taxpayer purchase of Sydney’s light rail and monorail business was a good step because it removed complexity from the western extension to the light rail network and allowed the removal of the monorail, which is impeding other projects.
"The purchase by the government removes the potential for complex competition issues, will serve to reduce the cost of the planned minor extension of the light rail network and clears the way for the abolition of the monorail," IPA chief executive Brendan Lyon said in a statement.
"Few people will miss the monorail after it is removed. It is an analogue mode in a digital world and is in the way of a range of important projects like Sydney's new convention centre.
"Sydney has got to make a lot of very difficult, very complex and very expensive decisions as it moves to finally deliver a First-World transport system."
