New WestConnex tunnel v Parramatta Rd: Which is faster?
The new WestConnex officially opened to motorists today but is it actually faster and worth the $7.89 toll price? The Sunday Telegraph put it to the test, sending one reporter through the tunnel and another on Parramatta Rd. Here’s what happened.
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It was the amazing WestConnex dash which answered the biggest question in Sydney: is the M4 worth $7.89?
Seven hours after the opening of the new M4 tunnels, The Sunday Telegraph pitted two motorists against each other in a mad dash between Alexandra St, Westmead and Liverpool Rd, Ashfield.
In the VW Golf was Heath Parkes-Hupton — a man who doesn’t mind forking out for the new tunnel as long as it gets him there quicker.
In the RAV 4 was Ben Pike, who bravely volunteered to ride the gauntlet of 42 extra sets of traffic lights between Woodville Rd, Parramatta and Liverpool Rd, Ashfield.
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Being a Saturday morning during school holidays, Ben thought he was in with a chance.
But 23 minutes into his journey he got the phone call every amateur racer dreads.
“Ben it’s Heath here, we’re already at Maccas in Haberfield — where on Earth are you guys?” he said
Ben mumbled to his competition that they were still crawling along Parramatta Rd at Burwood.
Heath crossed the finish line in 17 minutes and 56 seconds, while Ben took almost double the amount of time at 31 minutes and 49 seconds.
Heath says the passage from Homebush to Ashfield was staggeringly quick — it took just four minutes and 34 seconds to complete the 5.5km route.
“It usually takes me 30 to 40 minutes to get from Homebush to Ashfield in peak hour,” Heath said.
“This time it was over before we even knew it. It actually felt a little anticlimactic.
“We didn’t hit a traffic light from the Westmead until we got to Ashfield.”
There were only a handful of cars in the tunnel while Heath was underground, with many cars choosing to exit the M4 at Homebush.
“Only one vehicle briefly tailgated us, which is nice a nice change from the anarchy of Parramatta Rd,” Heath said.
Heath enjoyed an average speed of 80km/h (in the tunnel) 83km/h (on the whole M4), 75km/h (from Alexandria Ave to the end of tunnel).
Ben, however, was lucky if he got to 60km/h — hitting an average speed of 45km/h.
In what is an incredibly good run for Parramatta Rd, Ben only got seven red lights at Woodville Rd, Parramatta coming off the M4; Station Rd, Auburn; Hill Rd, Sydney Olympic Park; Bridge Rd, Homebush; the M4 tunnel entry before Concord Rd; Concord Rd at Strathfield; and Mosley St in Burwood.
“That’s probably one of the best runs I’ve ever had along Parramatta Rd and still ended up way behind,” Ben said.
“I even sailed through the intersections of Silverwater Rd, James Ruse Drive, the M4 at Strathfield, Great North Rd and Wattle Frederick Sts in Ashfield.
“Heath got to Maccas first, so yeah, the tunnel’s worth it.”
There is no doubt however, that the real test for the new M4 tunnels will be July 23 when all kids are back from the school holidays and more people return to work.
Transport bosses said they had a car break down in the tunnel about 3am, which they say was removed quite quickly.
There was also two trucks with dangerous goods that were forced to reverse out of the tunnel about 7am eastbound.
While The Sunday Telegraph was interviewing WestConnex protesters at Ashfield Park at 8am, it witnessed two cars in the space of 10 minutes slam on the brakes and attempt to reverse out of the westbound tunnel slip lane when they realised they were headed underground.
The first car managed to escape, but the unlucky second had already gone too far down the road.
After stopping dead on the road and backing up traffic, the driver was forced to continue on and pay the toll after a chat with Highway Patrol police.
Transport for NSW co-ordinator general Marg Prendergast said early the “numbers are pretty light”.
“The real test for us will be the week of July 23 and that is when we will start to seeing how Wattle St and Parramatta Rd go,” she said.
She said she’s not aware of anyone who got caught for speeding in the tunnel.
Inner west residents from the Coalition Against WestCONex staged two-hour demonstrations at four points along the new M4 on Saturday morning.
Holding banners reading “WestConnex won’t work”, “Motorists against tollway extortion” and “Crowded trains, traffic jams, and tolls — Who wins? Who Loses?”, protesters set up a few hundred metres from the tunnel opening point at Ashfield Park from 8am.
Despite it being too late to stop the Stage One of WestConnex — the M4 East — St Peters resident Anne Picot said the group was highlighting the “insane” cost of tolls on the road.
The message was resonating with truck drivers, she said, who would have to pay “enormously high” tolls of up to $23.65 one way if they travel between Parramatta and Haberfield or Ashfield.
“The pricing of this toll is insane and it’s going to go up by four per cent per year,” Ms Picot said.
“At this stage, we’re protesting about what they’re doing to us.”
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