Sydney Metro opening: Business owners feel pitch as foot traffic falls on north shore rail line

The success of Sydney’s new underground Metro is hitting businesses along the once-busy north shore rail line hard, with many commuters ditching traditional trains in favour of speed and ease.

The success of Sydney’s new underground Metro line is hitting businesses along the once-busy north shore rail line hard, with many commuters ditching traditional trains in favour of speed and ease.

Businesses at the St Leonards Forum and Greenwood Plaza in North Sydney are among those feeling the pinch as commuters, who once flocked to the St Leonards and North Sydney overground stations, opt for the new Metro stops at Crows Nest and Victoria Cross.

Shop owners have blamed the downturn in trade on the proximity of new and old, with just 600m separating the St Leonards railway station and the Metro stop at Crows Nest.

The distance between North Sydney Station and the Victoria Cross Metro stop is the same, meaning commuters have to walk no further than 10 minutes to make the switch.

Transport for NSW data suggests they are doing so in droves, with an estimated 200,000 passengers already using the Metro line, which has drastically slashed travel times from the north shore to the CBD, each day.

108 Paradise Cafe is located within the St Leonards Station forum.

The north shore rail line has up to eight stops between Chatswood and Central, compared to just four on the Metro.

Sonny Gutpta, the owner of 108 Paradise Cafe at the St Leonards Forum, said commuters who once used St Leonards to access the CBD were now using Crows Nest, resulting in his business experiencing a 50 per cent downturn in trade.

Peak hour passenger numbers are down on the north shore rail line.

“More people are using Crows Nest and I think it’s partly because it’s quicker to get to the city on the Metro and it also has the novelty factor,” he said.

“We used to be packed in the morning, and now I’m looking at cutting the trading hours back by an hour in the morning because we’re not getting the same numbers of customers.

The downturn has resulted in some businesses, including The Groomsmen Barbershop, terminating their leases at St Leonards Forum.

Gourmet Flipp Burgers at North Sydney.

Iqbal Suraiya, who owns Lenden Poultry at Greenwood Plaza in North Sydney, estimated his trade was down by about 30 per cent since the launch of the Metro.

“I’ve been here 14 years and the afternoons were usually our busy time when people were heading home from work,” he said.

“We’re now struggling and don’t know what’s going to happen. I can’t see any future here if it doesn’t improve.”

Other businesses at the plaza have reported similar declines in foot traffic, including Gourmet Flipp Burgers.

Many Sydney commuters are now using the Metro line.

Another plaza restaurant owner, who asked not to be named, said he was in discussions with landlords to have his rent reduced.

“It’s hard for us because the customer numbers have gone down, but the rents and overheads have stayed the same,” he said.

“It’s not sustainable.”

The Metro is not hurting all businesses on the north shore, with many shop owners located closer to Victoria Cross and Crows Nest stations benefiting from the influx of passenger numbers.

Both stations also incorporate retail tenancies, which have been tenanted by businesses including Marrickville Pork Roll.

Mr Gupta is hopeful a number of high-rise development housing projects planned near St Leonards Station may improve foot traffic.

However, he warned it might not be a quick fix.

“Many of the developments will be three or four years away until they’re finished,” he said.

“I’m hoping we’re still here by then.”