Moore Park light rail station design unveiled

THOUSANDS of fans will be able to get in and out of the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium faster with plans unveiled today confirming the location of the new light rail stop at the city’s major sporting precinct.

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THOUSANDS of fans will be able to get in and out of the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Football Stadium faster with plans unveiled today confirming the location of the new light rail stop at the city’s major sporting precinct.

The turn up and go service promises to shuttle about 450 fans — the equivalent of nine standard buses — to and from Moore Park every four minutes from Central Station during peak periods.

The stop will be part of the 12km light rail route from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford, which is due to be completed and operating in 2019, with plans to extend the route all the way to La Perouse still under discussion.

Artist impression of the Moore Park Light Rail station on Anzac Pde.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said this was the first in a number of exciting milestones that were around the corner and was a key plank in the State Government’s plan to provide the city with quality infrastructure.

“This is home to rugby league, rugby union, AFL, cricket, major events, concerts and an array of spectacles that will make this a major destination for light rail customers,” Mr Constance said.

“The light rail stop will be a signature design while preserving the parkland and green space enjoyed by thousands.”

After leaving Central, the light rail route will take passengers down Devonshire St through Surry Hills, and over the Eastern Distributor via a new bridge with the line then diving under Moore Park and Anzac Parade before it emerges above ground at a new stop close to the Sydney Cricket Ground.

What the new light rail station at Moore Park will look like.

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Mr Constance also addressed concerns around the felling of century old trees along the light rail route after protesters earlier this year chained themselves to Moreton Bay figs along the route.

“Unfortunately when you build a $2.1 billion piece of infrastructure you are going to have to obviously remove trees and replant,” he said.

“Ultimately with the EIS identifying around 750 trees we have been able to save about 120, we still work tree by tree to do this, nobody wants to cut a tree down.

“I am not going to accept the messages around Centennial Park we are not clear felling Centennial Park.

“1800 trees are being replanted and rehoused and we also have the trees that are in nursery that are growing as quickly as we can get them to grow so we have a very green project. I just think the politics around it has been unfortunate because at the end of the day people will not be disappointed given the level of vegetation that will be around the project.”

The light rail service at the station. Picture: Artist impression

The light rail bridge overpass.

CBD Co-ordinator General Marg Prendergast supported the minister’s comments and said while more mature trees would be removed the final design would deliver a green route that would create a “lively village atmosphere” along various sections.

“There were 760 in the EIS (environmental impact statement) and we have saved about 120. The 760 were all different sizes some of them were tiny shrubs,” she said.

“The majestic Moreton Bay we see here will still be standing, 23 have been removed, but there is only one more we are looking at in so far as the footbridge and we are trying to save it.

“What we are replanting is three to four metres tall and 200 litre root balls so we have them ready go and we are re-vegetating this corridor and bringing it back to life.”

Artist impression of inside the light rail service at Moore Park.

Construction of Sydney Light Rail is currently underway on more than half of the route, with work also progressing on the cut and cover tunnel that will link the Moore Park stop with work on the bridge to cross the Eastern Distributor expected to be completed in the first half of next year.