Hills Shire Council support Sydney Metro bid for on-street parking restrictions

A total of 54 streets surrounding Sydney Metro northwest stations will be off-limits for commuters searching for a parking spot from day one of stations opening.

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A total of 54 streets surrounding Sydney Metro northwest stations will be off-limits for commuters searching for a parking spot from day one of stations opening.

Hills Shire councillors approved the controversial plan to impose on-street parking restrictions at Sydney Metro stations across northwest Sydney on Tuesday night.

The controversial strategy received a mixed response from residents who said the 4000 commuter spots provided across the eight new Metro stations was not enough to meet demands, while others said it would ensure residential streets weren’t gridlocked by commuter cars.

An artist impression of the Rouse Hill Metro station.

In December, the Sydney Metro handed down a report to The Hills Shire, Hornsby and Blacktown councils, calling for tighter on-street parking restrictions to be enforced across 63 local roads, which currently provide unrestricted parking.

A total of 155 residents responded to the government’s proposal, with 69 respondents calling for a resident parking scheme.

A further 69 said there should be further extensions to parking restrictions, while safety concerns and the need for larger commuter car parks were also raised.

An artist impression of the Bella Vista Metro Station.

A council traffic committee report said the on-street parking restrictions aim is “minimising potential negative traffic and parking impacts on local streets”.

“The overarching purpose of the Sydney Metro Northwest Parking Management Strategy is to

demonstrate how changes to travel and parking behaviour can be accommodated for the

operation of Sydney Metro Northwest,” the report said.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian announcing the completion of 4000 commuter carapaces at Metro Stations. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne said the “parking management strategy tries to strike a balance between commuter access and residential amenity”.

“We want as many people as possible on the Metro, however, residents still nee to be able to safely access their properties, have visitors and be able to be services by garbage trucks and emergency services,” Cr Byrne said.

MORE ON THE METRO: SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE STATION RESTRICTIONS HERE

While councillor Mike Thomas said 70 per cent of residents in The Hills work outside the LGA, “which makes commuting very complex”.

Cr Thomas said council must be “mindful of the impact the station will have on residents” and called on council to do “all we can to alleviate the impacts on them”.

“Both local residents and people from outside our community will use the Sydney Metro northwest,” he said. “There are a range of stakeholders that are interested in the parking at Sydney Metro station sites and we need to be mindful of our residents because I am sure we will get a lot of surprises (when the Metro opens).”

Tallawong Metro Station in Rouse Hill.

Deputy Mayor Alan Haselden said the approach to parking around the Sydney Metro stations will need to be “fluid following its opening”, while Cr Frank De Masi said a range of modes of transport will be required to help the network function.

Hills general manager Michael Edgar said council would be able to conduct a review of parking around Sydney Metro stations “from day one”.

The announcement comes as it was revealed no Opal card readers will be installed at the entrance of car parks at Sydney Metro northwest stations.

Hills Shire councillors quizzed a Sydney Metro spokeswoman about the installation of Opal card readers outside parking stations.

A BREAKDOWN OF PARKING RESTRICTIONS AT STATIONS

An artist impression of the Cherrybrook Metro station Parking.

CASTLE HILL STATION

Despite the fact that no commuter parking spaces will be provided at Castle Hill Station, hundreds of metres of on-street parking will be removed from within the CBD.

Roads including Garthowen Cres, Old Castle Hill Rd, Brisbane Rd, Mercer St, Orange Gr and Castle St would see restrictions imposed due to the proximity to the station, safety and bus access routes.

A total of just 7 kiss and ride spaces will be available at the Metro station when it opens in May.

An artist impression of the Castle Hill Showground Metro station.

SHOWGROUND STATION

Carrington Rd and Middleton Ave will see the largest change when it comes to on-street parking restrictions when the Metro opens.

No stopping and restricted parking zones will be installed along 140m of Carrington and 175m of Middleton Ave.

Ashford and Partridge avenues will also see a combination of restricted parking and no parking zones due to the proximity to the station site, safety and “significant demand driven by land use”.

An artist impression of the Norwest Metro station.

NORWEST STATION

The parking scheme will see a total of 10 roads in Norwest Business Park hit with parking restrictions, due to “vehicle access, impact on residents, safety and proximity to Norwest station”.

Just nine kiss and ride spaces will be provided at the station, with no plans for any commuter parking to be provided.

The lack of parking will also creep into local roads including Ridgehave Pl, Brookhollow and Fairmont avenues, Lakeview Cl, Solent Circuit, Inglewood Pl, Goldfinch Cres, Barina Downs Rd and Evesham Court.

Canopy installation at Bella Vista Station. Bella Vista Station is one of 13 Sydney Metro stations to open in the first half of 2019.

BELLA VISTA STATION

A total of 800 commuter parking spaces will be provided as part of the Bella Vista Station precinct, located in the northern end of Norwest Business Park — off Old Windsor Rd.

However, hundreds of metres across 11 local roads will be made a no-go zone for commuters searching for on-street parking.

A multistorey parking station will be provided at Bella Vista.

Roads including Brighton Dr, Millhouse Pl, Bridgeview Circuit, Bimbadgen Pl, Edgewater Dr, Craigend Pl, Shaun St, Vanessa Court, Malley Grove, Darren Court and Tann-Barby Court will see restrictions enforced, due to the proximity to the station, concerns over cars stopping at intersections and the need to preserve local amenity.

Construction work at the Kellyville Metro Station. Picture: Joel Carrett

KELLYVILLE STATION

When it comes to commuter parking, Kellyville will be the crowning jewel of the Sydney Metro northwest.

More than 1300 parking spaces will be provided for commuters at Kellyville station across two different facilities — supporting residents from Beaumont Hills, Kellyville and Stanhope Gardens.

“The first will be a multistorey car park to the south of the station with a capacity of 995 spaces,” according to the Sydney Metro. “The second will be an at-grade facility to the north of the station with a capacity of 365 spaces.”

However a total of 11 local roads will be hit with parking restrictions when the Metro opens.

Roads including Samantha Riley Dr, Macquarie Ave, Gainsford Dr, Bridget Pl, Landy Place, Fraser Ave, Cuthbert Ave, Newbury Ave, Roxburgh Cres, Somerset St, Esher St and Midlands Tce will see the introduction of no stopping or restricted parking zones.

An artist impression of the Rouse Hill Metro station.

ROUSE HILL STATION

No commuter parking will be provided at Rouse Hill station, however a total of 25 kiss and ride facilities would be located at the site.

A total of eight roads including Peppin St, Bascule St, Grazier Rd, Bellacast Rd, Romney St, Narawang St, Galara St and Grandiflora St will see parking restrictions of no parking zones implemented by The Hills Shire Council.