Epping to Chatswood rail buses plan at Macquarie Park
TWO road improvements designed to help traffic before the Epping to Chatswood rail line closes later this year will not be done in time.
Northern District Times
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TWO road improvements designed to help traffic before the Epping to Chatswood rail line closes later this year will not be done in time.
Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has confirmed it will no longer remove a roundabout on Herring Rd outside Ivanhoe Plc at Macquarie Park following residents’ concerns. The RMS had proposed replacing the roundabout with traffic lights to help traffic flow.
There is also a change for the promised northbound bus lane on Herring Rd.
Northbound and southbound bus lanes were to be provided between Ivanhoe Pl and Waterloo Rd. The northbound lane will now be provided after the Sydney Metro rail line opens, due to trouble relocating utility services for the bus lane.
The State Government last year announced a raft of road improvements to ease congestion at Macquarie Park.
Some of these were to be done before the rail line closes for seven months to enable Metro trains.
The government will provide hundreds of extra bus services to help commuters travel during that period. Some of the road improvements provide dedicated lanes and other advantages for buses.
Eight improvements will be made to Macquarie Park roads before the rail line closure, with more after the Metro opens.
Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale was critical of the Herring Rd changes and schedule.
“This is the entrance to Macquarie Park,” he said.
“They have had seven years to plan. They promised these changes last year and now they’ve put up the white flag. Residents, business and students will suffer.”
The Labor mayor made his criticisms alongside state Opposition leader Luke Foley to mark 12 months until the election.
Cr Laxale said fewer improvements were being done prior to the rail shutdown than was necessary.
Among the works scheduled after the Metro opens are bus lanes for Waterloo Rd.
“If these works are going to be done, why not do them before the rail shutdown,” Cr Laxale said.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the first lot of works were under way and would be completed before the rail upgrade.
These would include improvements to Epping Rd, Herring Rd, Lane Cove Rd and Waterloo Rd.
Traffic modelling showed these works would help traffic cope with extra buses during this time, according to the spokeswoman.
The government is yet to announce when the rail line will close.