Metro shutdown confusion as Sydenham Station left with two non-existent kiss-and-ride zones
Frustrated commuters have lashed a state government agency, accusing it of “misleading” travellers with a map at a busy Sydney station.
Central Sydney
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Frustrated commuters have lashed Transport for NSW, accusing it of publishing “misleading” information after it was revealed only one of the three dedicated “kiss-and-ride” zones at Sydenham Station exists.
The latest station guide published by Transport for NSW, and displayed on platforms, shows kiss-and-ride bays, designed for people to drop off and pick up passengers, located on Bolton St, Burrows Ave and on the corner of Sydenham Rd.
However when The Daily Telegraph visited the station on Monday, only the Burrows Ave zone was operating as defined, with kiss-and-ride signage.
Meanwhile, the other two locations contained parking bays with signs indicating a two-hour limit.
The issue was revealed on Monday, the same day the T3 Bankstown line was shut down as part of works to turn the 125-year-old railway tracks into a Sydney Metro route.
Thousands more commuters are expected to travel through the busy station in the next 12 months with up to 450 replacement buses are expected to service Sydenham Station per week, adding to congestion woes.
“I would be very frustrated if the drop-off/pick-up points weren’t easily accessible, especially during peak rush hour,” Dulwich Hill mother Georgie Gonczi said.
“So absolutely (it is misleading) and they need to rectify that.”
However, disability worker Christine Voukelatos said the station had struggled with traffic congestion for years, with rideshare drivers copping the brunt of “abuse” during peak hours.
“I catch the train every day and I’ve been working in this area for about four-and-a-half years – it really is a bit of a problem, the drop-off/ pickup zones,” Ms Voukelatos said.
“I’ve had (Uber) drivers drop me (on the other side of the station) because they’re worried about dropping me off here (on Burrows Ave). Taxi drivers will take pictures of them and they have been fined.
“And it’s the same thing near the bus zones. I’ve seen bus drivers abusing Ubers.”
While The Daily Telegraph was speaking to commuters on Monday, parking inspectors were seen placing fines on a number of vehicles, including a truck parked in a no parking zone and cars overstaying the parking limit.
Dulwich Hill father Sozos Sentas said the influx of commuters meant it was also harder to find parking close to the station, taking him almost 20 minutes to find a spot.
“In the time it took, I could have been in the city,” he said.
Mr Sentas said while the Metro lived up to its efficiency claims, the lack of parking and drop-off/pick-up zones made “no sense”.
“It was actually my first time using the Metro and it was actually quite a good experience but, everything around it so far, I think it needs a lot of work,” he said.
“Considering the money they spent on it, you have to put more planning into that.”
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the department’s priority was to “(balance) the needs of all users in the Sydenham Station precinct”, including Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains, Southwest Link passengers, rideshare drivers, taxis, residents, businesses and freight.
“Sydney Metro provided six kiss-and-ride spaces on Burrows Ave and two spaces on Sydenham Road which legally allow passenger drop-off and pick-up,” the spokesperson said.
“Kerbside space at Sydenham Station is constrained and is prioritised for bus operations that carry tens of thousands of passengers each day to and from Sydenham.”
Liberal transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward joined calls to increase drop-off/pick-up zones at Sydenham Station.
“Clearly, commuters will need to adapt to the Metro conversion,” she said.
“I think the government supplying additional kiss and ride spots at Sydenham would be a welcome addition for school kids and the elderly.”
Meanwhile, replacement buses were in full swing at Bankstown Station on Monday morning, as the western Sydney tracks began their 12-month Metro line transition.
Following a turbulent period of negotiations between the Minns government and Transport for NSW, bus services replaced trains between Bankstown and Lidcombe, as well as Bankstown and Sydenham.
Signage throughout the Bankstown Station directed travellers to a South Terrace rink that was littered with a sea of buses awaiting their departure, and transport officers doing their best to direct the commuter traffic.
Most commuters told The Daily Telegraph they were experiencing significant delays despite the replacement buses running mostly on time, with a sense of growing frustration evident.
Chris Giorgio, 70, was expecting the worst when he departed for his midday doctor’s appointment in Marrickville, leaving his home more than two hours earlier than he usually would have to account for the potential delays.
“My advice to workers would be to leave an extra hour to get to and from your job,” Mr Giorgio said.
“It’s going to be really hard, and I’m not sure the Metro line is going to be worth all the trouble,” Rajaab Adan, who now faces a 30-minute longer commute to Chatswood for work each day, said.
Learning of the delays he was now facing, one commuter said he had “lost the day he was planning.
“I told my wife this morning that today we’d enjoy the city with the kids, and instead of that I’m now navigating transport,” the tourist, from New Zealand, said.
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