Re: Sydney monoral [was Re: Bus Privatization

[neumannc <neumannc@ozemail.com.au>]

David McLoughlin wrote:
> 
> Daniel M. Laenker wrote:
> 
> > For that matter, the Sydney monorail system is privately owned and
> > operated. IIRC, its owners had put forth a bid to greatly expand the
> > system in order to connect it to the Homebush Olympic Village, but the
> > bid was rejected by someone or something. Anyone know more about that?
> 
> The monorail operators may or may not have done that, but I can't see
> why such an extension could be taken seriously. The monorail is slow and
> of limited capacity, whereas Homebush is served by fast, frequent,
> high-capacity double deck EMUs which showed they could shift 60,000
> people in an hour with ease during the games.
> 
> AFAIK the monorail would be pulled down tomorrow if someone put up the
> money to remove it.
> 
> I've crossed this into aus.rail where no doubt a Sydney person will
> quickly answer your question.
> 

There has been no public evidence of any proposal to extend the monorail
to Homebush and it would be totally impractical given the car capacities
and distance involved. The cost of a ticket would be totally uneconomic.

Homebush is shown on some long term projections (ie pretty lines on
maps, nothing more) as a destination for a light rail system starting
from Parramatta. However given the current Transport Minister Carl
Scully's total sell out to the roads lobby and his statement that a down
town (Sydney CBD) extension of the current light rail wont be built
until a Cross City Road Tunnel is completed I wont be holding my breath!

The EIS for the Cross City Tunnel even admits that after it opens there
will be no significant improvements to public (bus) transport.  While it
is being built over a three year period there will be enormous
disruptions to current bus services.

BTW the recently opened extension to Lilyfield of the Sydney Light Rail
has been very successful and property values in the area are rising
sharply.

David's statement that the monorail would be pulled down tomorrow if
someone put up the money is totally correct.  Anyone with the money can
contact the Lord Mayor of Sydney, you'll receive a warm welcome and
probably the keys of the city as well.

Chris