Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum Number 39

I think this is my 5th Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum, I have attended on last thursday. The good thing is, it is not like a political debate in a council chamber, it is dedicated people working with local, state government, non-government organisations, individuals for the common good future of public transport.

Without these forums, proper decisions may not be made without proper inclusion of proper improvements.

Open by Rudi Svarc, Acting City Assets Manager, he warmly welcomed all participants to the forum, with the welcome to country and then introduced new Mayor, Mr. Stephen Bali.

Mr. Bali provided some interesting facts of Blacktown City Local Government Area:  Population today is around 327,000 people. In the year 2036, the population is expected to be 540,000 - larger than the current population of Tasmania. Our GRP - Gross Regional Product (similar as to a nation’s GDP) is $12.4 billion making us - larger than 63 nations around the world. We have a GRP growth of 7 perent compared to China 6-7 percent growth.

The Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum established in 1999 to assist in providing smooth operations for public transport expansion  on services and infrastructure. NSW  Government is spending $600m  from NSW Government asset sales (Electricity assets sales) of  $20 Billion. From Government grants ' Blacktown is getting a small slice of the cake'.

In relation to Badgerys Creek Airport - unsure of the naming of it, it will need to have a cargo terminus and  the airport will be moving 33.5 million passengers per year. The distance from Sydney is 55-57km's - It needs the infrastructure to be put in place to move people around and have easy access - rail link to Blacktown and Penrith. Then the Infrastructure will be good for Sydney.

Then John Robertson, Member for Blacktown and Opposition Leader, Public Transport  is a big problem out west. He is concerned for the critical opportunities that are needed to address public transport issues from home to employment areas. ' Stop funneling people to the city. The future is in the west to have a great public transport. Fix the west and the Sydney public transport system is fixed.

North West Rail Link Update:

• Budget $8.3Billion Budget
• To be completed by middle 2019
• Rapid transit maximizing 15 train services per hour to 30 trains services per hour (future expectation).
• A service every 4 minutes - peak and 8 minutes off-peak*
• Automatic train driving
• Tunneling Project $3.8 Billion - 800 metres so far
• Skytrain contract $304 Million
• viaducts making it look more attractive
• Urban
• 4,000 commuter car spaces nowhere near enough to accommodate the amount of potential users
• The Skytrain will be between 10 metres and 13 metres above ground level and be supported  with 112 concrete piers, spaced approximately 39 metres apart.

Feed back/questions

• Trains will be level to platform level - confirmed
• With no staff on trains has it worked for possible evacuation procedures and how would the disabled commuter understand this? I think the answer was there maybe qualified customer service personnel on the train.
• Question was raised about a place to hook bicycles on the new trains
• Fares for the trains will matched to the current Opal Electronic ticketing system.
• No follow up on 2nd Stage of the North West Link as apparently it hasn't been announced yet!*

Bus Head Programs: 
13 areas were sighted, in order to accelerate to catering for new  communities which each bus service reducing road traffic by 2 or 3 cars. There will be 6 buses per hour in peak time and 4 buses per hour in off-peak. Hours are 6am to 10pm.

New services for Mount Druitt:
706 - Blacktown - Mount Druitt to Penrith
729 - Blacktown - Minchinbury to Mount Druitt

Abdun Noor - Senior Traffic and Transport Engineer  Blacktown City Council - Intergrated Transport Master Plan: 

short term - Rooty Road and Jersey Road road improvements

Continue for lobbying for Free shuttle bus in Mount Druitt

medium to long term - Francis, Railway and Duke Streets Rooty Hill - road improvements

Widening of overpass on Carlisle Avenue to include pedestrian access and cyclist path.

Road Safety - Traffic lights at the corner of Hythe Street and Luxford Roads Mount Druitt

Black spots program - Fuller and Coates Street Mount Druitt

Embellishment work  at Mount Druitt Bus Interchange. Improve Interchange at Rooty Hill

Blacktown City Council Bike Plan Update:

23 prioritized  routes detected in 2013. Jersey Road to M7 to connect to Luxford Road, under 50/50 Funding approval for route from Mount Druitt Hospital to Earl Street, Mount Druitt (600 metres). 

In addition Council undertook maintenance works and replaced the following damaged sections of shared paths :
•Bougainville Road to Halmahera Crescent (Lethbridge Park) – 305m
•Buran Close to Luxford Road Path (Mount Druitt) - 68m
•Luxford Road through Shennan Walkway to Hythe Street (Mount Druitt) - 145m
•Hythe Street to Methven Street (Mount Druitt) – 150m
•Methven Street through William Mason Reserve to Meacher Street (Mount Druitt) – 279m

There was general question time and I provided my submission, to the Blacktown City Council as well: Click here for my submission

At the end, Mayor Mr. Stephen Bali, closed the meeting but it doing so mentioned that 'Bloggers must be careful when making statements that are not true with Finances of Council' ( Yes that was directed to me - a lesson in learning)

  * 10 minutes indicated on North West Rail Link website
** It was raised and publicly announced at the Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum Number 38,  in 2013