'Money Better To Be Spent In West Than East' - Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum 2018

This was my 9th year in a row of being invited to attend (as a community representative advocating for improvements within the pubic transport network of Mount Druitt), the "Blacktown City Council Public Transport Forum", held annually at Council Building in Blacktown.

In the past years I have mostly provided a report via this blog 
(except for 2017). So, I am continuing to do so from this year.

Today. the Forum took a different direction where the community and stake holders were provided a 'Q & A' style type of forum, introduced by Brigid Glanville:

Brigid Glanville

Brigid Glanville is one of the ABC's New South Wales political reporters.
She has previously worked across a range of television and radio programs, including The 7:30 Report, Stateline, AM, The World Today and PM. She has also worked as a presenter on ABC News 24, the Australia Network and local radio, and has worked as a rural reporter around the country.

In 2002 she was awarded the prestigious Andrew Olle Scholarship, which included a stint in the ABC's Washington bureau.
Follow Brigid on Twitter: @brigidglanville

Panelists included was Owen Walsh - Sydney Business Park, Michelle Zeibots -  Research Director Institute for Sustainable Futures, Greg Woodhams - Executive Director, City Projects Greater Sydney Commission and 
Jacob Saulwick - City Editor Sydney Morning Herald.

With a talented class of community representatives on the Q & A panel, the only question I have is:  Which one lives within Blacktown LGA? Placing this question aside, overall it was absolutely a professional forum conducted by Brigid Glanville.

The Mayor of Blacktown, Councillor Stephen Bali, opened the forum in a different way then normal expressing how important these forums are for the progress of Blacktown LGA  establishing our population is growing at capacity levels. 

Councillor Kevin Gillies stating, leaving public transport, tourism and policing as essential services required to bring our communities together.

The 4 main requirements before you build a city, with a community as follows: transport, health, education and policing to make  a community safe and a great place to live in. Without transport infrastructure communities would not be there. With Blacktown City LGA estimated to reach population of 527,000 in 2036, a great deal of planning is required before expansion of new areas is to take place.

Blacktown City has a current economy of $16B as the expected economy for 2036 is looking to reach $40B. Currently Blacktown City holds current job employment for over 120,000 with a current growth rate of 4 1/2 per cent.

Between 2016 to 2036 there will be more population living in Blacktown City then in the whole of Tasmania. Badgerys Creek Hub will be the size of Hobart and $18B will be required to provided for infrastructure to support the new City Hub. We need to have a 'life of livability' with funding provided to help communities grow.

Greg Woodlands spoke about the balancing required amongst the 3 Greater Western Sydney Cities shaping and center services and infrastructure need to happen

Michele Zeibots said that Blacktown City Council has good future sustainability plans. What we don't want to do is build things we don't need. Parramatta transport system not developed. City Centers need to have infrastructure in place before business decide to move in and they will not move in,
if there isn't a proper public transport network system. Currently our public transport system is not a free flowing network.

Rail links are not done. Blacktown to the new Aerotropolis City - transport links are there but not being done. Public transport operates to a schedule speed, road speed changes when more people get into their cars and drive. We need an improved public transport network as it is really running at full capacity. Funding these public transport changes out West 
 is more practical now then what is happening in the East of Sydney where more money is being spent on roads. 

Owen had spoken how Blacktown has fallen between East and West with an an extra 250,000 people moving in the North-West sector by 2036. Transport corridors must be secured: North- West Rail link to South-West link to Badgery's Creek, extending through to Marsden Park. Hats off for establishing a M9 road corridor before the last election but it seems a bit edgy, wobbly and  political tremors are being felt. 

Public Transport in Blacktown City Council needs to be looked at in reality to accommodate relentlessly. Governments need to do better than needs too. How does business connect to roads and train stations. How does it operate within the public transport network and secure looping corridor services: Sydney to Parramatta, North-West rail link to South-West and Camden to Parramatta.

Greg advised within Blacktown LGA there are 16,000 businesses growing to an estimated 30,000 by 2036. The pressure to government is to provide support to workers and Blacktown LGA a choice to work at Doonside, Rooty Hill or in Mount Druitt.

Michelle advised talking about jobs in the last 42 years, jobs don't appear, businesses appear.Then jobs come after businesses settle down. Otherwise they go elsewhere.

Jacob first thought why is he on the panel as an expert journalist but as we know journalists have their ears to the ground listening for genuine good stories. Businesses develop with underpinnings for jobs most being a great public transport network infrastructure. We should be planning for knowledge industries within Blacktown City Council not just industrial sector jobs.

Mayor, Councilor Stephen Bali then make a clear statement of  Governments can provide Business plans To Blacktown City for Transport corridors but let's see the plans with the dollars, the money and costings. There's no money in these business plans.

Brigid open the floor to questions that were sent to the forum by email and she referred to my question, 'What is the involvement of Council in a possible link linking North and South west lines via St Marys?'

Greg advised NSW Western Sydney Deal is North-West to Badgers Creek corridor has been defined in the Strategic Business Plan - yet to be finalised. Badgery's Creek to St Marys rail corridor will be completed by 2026 and a further extension is being considered for 2036 with Rapid Rail connections - travelling at speed maximum 100km's with no double-decker trains on this line.

Discussions were raised of M9 orbital - M7 has reached capacity - M9 will be from Richmond to Campelltown - 
linking to M5 - it was suggested not to butcher the corridor as a couple areas of the corridor are still going through community consultations as they have been raising issues of concern. M9 commitment been provided by the NSW Government and it is partially going underground as well. This also depends on who wins the NSW Government in March 2019, as predictions are Labor or Liberal minority government. Whoever wins resets priorities.

I asked a question on the plans of NSW Government to ease the bottleneck of trains on current infrastructure between St Marys and Emu Plains (at least Penrith), previously advocated by former Member of Penrith, Ron Mulock.

Michelle thought that it should be the NSW governments focus to fix up bottleneck areas that would have a major positive affect on the current entire city rail network. Greg advised that this not on any NSW Government Projects/plans yet and suggested for myself to keep on advocating for it. Although he thought it was a good idea.

Pauline from Mount Druitt Commuters Improvement Group 
Inc. raised the issue of  bus stop within 22 minute walk of her house and removal of 2 bus stops when Ropes Crossing suburb was established. Brigid thought these are the 
main issue s they need to hear and ensure that the full public transport network is in full operation. Jacob agreed these are issues that the general public need to hear.

Other local issues were not one bus service in  the network talking staff to and from Wet'N'\Wild - a community bus service operator would be interested to help. Busways have not taken much interest. Wet'N'Wild have been in business 
for 6 years.

In the Northwest sector, there are 12 bus services waiting to be placed into service and only 2 are in operation as the area has a growth in population. It was advised, it is not proper to have bus stops placed in new infrastructure suburbs bus services as people move into these new areas.

It was mentioned that bus services are the poor cousins of rains. Sydney has 200 million bus trip. People will use
transport services that will take the quickest trip.

There were other questions raised of more pedestrian access on pathways in Doonside and other questions  that related to Mount Druitt bus interchange upgrades.

So what did I think of the format? It was a great way to know as we spoke of the larger picture of public transport network rather than the smaller picture in the beginning and ended with smaller local issues. I give a big 9+ to the Council for  changing the way the forum had been done and I hope that we adapt to it, generating the local community interest that is required to make it successful.