Parramatta Council’s submission into light rail stage two

Calls have been made for the community not to ‘be left in the dark’ about Parramatta light rail’s second stage amid growing pressure for the project not to be delayed.

Parramatta light rail stage two proposes a bridge linking Melrose Park and Wentworth Point.

Accelerating the second stage of the Parramatta light rail and creating a transport hub at Sydney Olympic Park ferry wharf should be a priority with the controversial project, Parramatta Council says.

The recommendations are several that the council put forward in its response to the state government’s environmental impact statement for the project after it was placed on public exhibition in November.

The second stage of the light rail would connect Parramatta to Sydney Olympic Park via the densely populated suburbs of Sydney Olympic Park, Wentworth Point and Melrose Park – where more than 20,000 new residents will move in once completed.

The 14 stops along the line were revealed in December when the state government said the project would be rolled out five years behind schedule.

But the council has called on the government to deliver the project before 2031.

A concept design for Parramatta light rail stage two at Sydney Olympic Park.

“Clearly the growth in areas like Melrose Park, Wentworth Point, Sydney Olympic Park and the Carter Street precinct, to wait to the year 2031 is really just a mess in terms of not linking infrastructure with development, which is a great problem that we face,’’ Labor councillor Paul Noack said at the Monday night council meeting.

“I had a phone call from a woman that works in Rydalmere and finds it incredibly difficult because of the bus change to get to Wentworth Point where she travels on a regular basis.

“It’s a bit hard to say to her ‘Well wait to the year 2031, your problems will be fixed’, so we need to resolve the problems fairly urgently …’’

The council also wants the light rail to stop next to Sydney Olympic Park wharf to promote “seamless” multi public transport connections.

Its submission stated that it was “disappointing” and “shortsighted” for Transport for NSW not to link the ferry and light rail given they connect customers to Sydney Olympic Park’s stadiums.

The Carter Street precinct proposed for Parramatta light rail stage two.

Another recommendation is starting a community reference group comprised of residents and businesses.

Lord Mayor Donna Davis, who is also Parramatta’s Labor candidate in the state election, said Transport for NSW needed to improve its communication with the public for stage two.

The $2.8bn first stage was beset with problems, from the controversial demolition of the heritage-listed Royal Oak Hotel to delaying the project by another year to 2024.

“One of the biggest challenges of that time, for want of a better word, the community was left in the dark about what was happening – and so was council to a certain extent,’’ Cr Davis said.

“And it was because the requirement to provide that transparency and information was not put forward right set from the outset.’’

She said while heritage would not be heavily impacted by stage two, the community should still have access to government reports to “add that extra layer of transparency and make those operators and contractors accountable”.

Other recommendations were for the government report to outline measures to preserve mature canopy and provide “full justification” for tree removal in a register. The suggestion came after plans to remove double the number of trees in stage two compared with stage one.

So far, the government has only committed $600m for a bridge between Wentworth Point and Melrose Park, with works to start in 2024.

Labor has vowed to begin construction on the second stage in its first term if it wins the March election.