Sydney Airport roadwork is angering motorists: Congestion still a major issue

IF you are heading out of Sydney Airport or picking up family this Christmas, expect a hidous delay thanks to a road project supposed to ease congestion.

Sydney’s most ‘embarrassing’ traffic jam

CHRISTMAS holiday-makers heading in or out of Sydney Airport are facing big delays despite a multimillion-dollar road project that was supposed to ease congestion.

Airport bosses and the state government are throwing $500 million at its notorious bottlenecks, including a revamp of the internal road layout and changes to entrance and exit points.

But the “improvements”, the biggest at the airport since the 2000 Olympics, have done little to ease congestion, with thousands of people suffering long delays at one of the busiest times of the year.

The changes at Sydney Airport

While the overall project will finish in 2018, the first phase of work at the domestic terminal was completed last week leaving regular airport users, including taxi drivers, furious as traffic delays around the T2 and T3 terminals reached crisis point.

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A crash on Southern Cross Drive exacerbated the issue.

“Congestion is still a very big issue, despite what they’ve already done. I see it first-hand and it’s just chock-a-block,” Rockdale Mayor Bill Saravinovski said.

“If the state government is fair dinkum, it needs to make more improvements because the issue is not going away.”

Botany councillor Greg Mitchell added: “Congestion is still a nightmare on certain days and nights of the week when the roads network gets super clogged.”

Frustrated travellers took to social media over the weekend, with one person branding the airport congestion “Sydney’s most embarrassing traffic jam”.

Collaroy Plateau sales engineer Craig Phillips, who flies from the domestic terminal once a fortnight, received an apology from the airport because of the traffic build-up late last week.

The exit from the terminals has been changed to turn into Seventh St from Shiers Ave / Picture: Bob Barker

“My taxi driver arrived at Sydney Airport at 5.50pm, it took him till 6.20pm to collect me,” he said, adding some passengers were so frustrated waiting for pre-booked cabs they walked to meet taxis outside the terminal­ precinct.

NSW Taxi Council boss Roy Wakelin-King backed the new road network, saying: “I’m hopeful that these are just a few teething issues”.

Roads Minister Duncan Gay conceded there was an issue and said it increased the need for roads to be modernised around the airport.

Actually, mate, you go THIS way / Picture: Bob Barker

“Last week’s delays are a great example of why we’re building the new M5 and improving the roads in the airport area, including Marsh St, to stop these kind of incidents from happening when there are small changes to traffic volumes in the area,” Mr Gay’s spokesman said.

Motorists driving to T1 international terminal also face delays during the morning and afternoon peaks, a year after changes to roads, entrances and exits.

About 150,000 people travel to and from the airport daily. A Sydney Airport spokesman said the full benefits of its improvement works will be felt in 2018.

And it’s only going to get worse / Picture: Bob Barker.