Randwick Council calls for changes to State Government’s CBD and South East Light Rail project

SOUTHERN COURIER: RANDWICK Council is demanding the State Government make changes to its proposed CBD and South East Light Rail (CSELR) project.

Trams arrive by light rail for the first time in Broadbeach today. Picture Glenn Hampson

RANDWICK Council is demanding the State Government make changes to its proposed CBD and South East Light Rail (CSELR) project.

While supportive of the light rail concept, the Council has called on the Government to respond to concerns over the project’s proposed designs.

Councillors passed a motion submitted by Labor West Ward councillor Greg Moore at Tuesday night’s council meeting to write a letter to NSW Planning and Infrastructure and Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian voicing their disapproval of the Government’s project designs.

Mr Moore said the Council was a primary stakeholder and supporter of the CSELR and the 13 design changes contained in the CSELR project submissions report addressed the matters endorsed by council.

He said there were several flaws in the project and these concerns were outlined in the Council’s CSELR Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submission.

They include:

■ the deficient response to the matters raised by the Council, residents and representative organisations within the city in their respective submission to the CSELR EIS

■ the lack of focus and attention being given to addressing the impacts and consequences on Randwick City’s local businesses, residents, visitors, infrastructure, environment and amenity.

■ the disregard towards Randwick City Council as demonstrated through the dismissal of the suggested improvements identified developed and presented by the Council.

Ms Berejikian said transport modelling showed the increased demand for travel in the future could not be accommodated on existing transports networks without generating more congestion, overcrowding and longer travel times.

“This project is crucial to addressing Sydney’s transport challenges,’’ she said.

THE PLAN

■ Work on the $1.6 billion CBD and South East Light Rail project is expected to commence in April 2015

■ It is expected to take five or six years

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