Campaign for tram-style electric buses in one of Sydney’s emerging town centres gains traction
FORMER Warringah mayor Michael Regan has argued the council should lobby state and federal governments to fund a tram-style electric bus from Dee Why to Chatswood.
Manly
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PLANS for high-rise in Frenchs Forest has reignited calls for an east-west transport corridor.
Former Warringah mayor Michael Regan has argued the council should lobby state and federal governments to fund a tram-style electric bus from Dee Why to Chatswood.
Mr Regan lobbied for the Guided Electronic Transport System in April, saying it was a solution to congestion woes. But with more high-rise likely as part of the State Government’s plans for the area, he said an east-west transport link was the only way forward.
The Manly Daily revealed that Frenchs Forest had been named a priority precinct on Saturday — meaning up to 10,000 new dwellings could be added to make way for Northern Beaches Hospital.
The council’s draft plan was to increase the amount of dwellings around the Northern Beaches Hospital by about 2500 with a new town centre in the Forest High School site.
Mr Regan has been in talks with consultants for Inner West Council, which is contemplating the GETS as a congestion buster for Parramatta Rd.
“Now that the State Government is increasing the number of units, there will be funds there and demand for the transport system,” Mr Regan said.
Mr Regan — who acts as an adviser to administrator Dick Persson — was in Canberra yesterday lobbying Mackellar federal MP Jason Falinski to support the GETS which are narrower, and hold more passengers than a bus.
Mr Falinski said he was interested, but would not support it going to Dee Why.
“In the absence of a detailed proposal it’s difficult for me to support or not support something, however, I will do everything I can to get funding from the Federal Government for improved transport,” he said.
He said it was important to ensure “we are not getting development without transport solutions”.
Mr Regan pointed out that the government had highlighted an opportunity to gain income from developers profiting from upzonings to go towards infrastructure.
Similar designs exist in Europe and can deliver more than 10,000 people an hour which is more than double that of proposed B-Line bus system, Mr Regan said.
“It provides a rapid transport system for today’s problems and allows for future growth,” he said.
A Transport for NSW spokesman said $500 million had already been invested in road upgrades around Frenchs Forest to ease congestion.
“We have released the northern beaches bus network, identifying service improvements between Dee Why and Chatswood to give customers better access to the hospital,” he said.
Two new bus routes will be added to cater for the hospital allowing customers to catch a bus every 10 minutes during peak hours.
He said a future strategy was being developed for NSW and opportunities including driverless cars, transport powered by renewable energy and ‘on demand’ transport would be explored.
“While no decisions have been made at this time, proposals will be considered as part of our Future Transport Strategy,” he said.
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