How much time will Sydney’s new road network save you on commutes
After decades of sitting in gridlocked traffic or standing on overcrowded trains Premier Gladys Berejiklian has promised commuters the wait is almost over. But will it be worth it?
Life will soon get better for Sydney commuters as a whopping $90 billion of spending on new roads and rail comes on track.
After decades of sitting in gridlocked traffic or standing on overcrowded trains Premier Gladys Berejiklian has promised commuters the wait is almost over.
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“No matter where you live you will benefit from the NSW Government’s record infrastructure program,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The WestConnex will allow commuters to bypass 52 traffic lights and slice 40 minutes off a trip from Parramatta to the airport and the NorthConnex will bypass 21 sets of lights and shave 15 minutes off the same journey on Pennant Hills Road.
“The $87 billion in infrastructure this Government is delivering over the next four years is going to change lives for the better,” Ms Berejiklian said.
And experts say it cannot come a minute two soon for fed up Sydneysiders who have suffered through the city’s slide down the congestion rankings to the bottom third in the world.
Jane Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Property Council in NSW, said: “Traffic congestion is one of the big issues holding Sydney back from being a truly great city compared to its global peers.”
She said a comparison of cities with a similar population including Melbourne, Montreal and San Francisco left Sydney trailing behind.
“Sydney was ranked in the bottom third of cities globally for peak period congestion,” she said.
“Compared to its global peers, the cost of transport is higher and the time spent commuting is longer for Sydney residents,” said Ms Fitzgerald.
But Ms Berejiklian said that is all about to change. “We are delivering the roads and rail which will allow people to spend less time travelling and more time doing what they need to or what they enjoy,” she said.
The WestConnex, NorthConnex and Sydney Metro are all “game changing projects” that are going to slash travel time for commuters.
“If you live in Rouse Hill and currently catch a bus to and from the city for work you will save a massive 72 minutes a day by catching the Metro rail,” she said.
“If you live on the Central Coast you will be able to get to and from Sydney half an hour faster using NorthConnex,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Transport management expert Professor Stephen Greaves from the University of Sydney said: “We are in the middle of the biggest infrastructure in our history and I think we will see some short term benefits.
“As the population has grown our transport networks have been challenged,” he said. The city has been bedevilled with natural “pinch points” such as the four ways to cross the water from north to south that could become jammed with one simple car radiator overheating.
“But I wonder how the WestConnex will work out — are people going to use it or baulk at paying the tolls?” he said.
The Premier has no such doubts.
“If you live in Parramatta or Penrith you will be able to get to Sydney Airport 40 minutes faster using the new WestConnex and Gateway roads,” she said.
Travel time saved
* All figures are times saved unless otherwise noted.
WestConnex (with Sydney Gateway)
40 minutes between Penrith or Parramatta and Sydney Airport
22 minutes Campbelltown to Sydney Airport
20 minutes Moorebank to Port Botany
20 minutes between Burwood and Sydney Airport
Bypass up to 52 sets of traffic lights.
NorthConnex
15 minutes compared to using Pennant Hills Road
Bypass 21 sets of traffic lights.
F6 Extension Stage 1 (with WestConnex)
15 minutes Kogarah to ANZAC Bridge
15 minutes Miranda to Macquarie Park
13 minutes Kogarah to South Sydney
12 minutes Taren Point to Mascot
8 minutes Kogarah to the City
Bypass 23 sets of traffic lights on the Princes Highway between St Peters and Kogarah
Western Harbour Tunnel (with WestConnex)
10 minutes Rozelle to North Sydney
21 minutes Chatswood to Sydney Airport
13 minutes Olympic Park to North Sydney
Beaches Link (With Western Harbour Tunnel and WestConnex)
27 minutes Brookvale to Sydney CBD
41 minutes Dee Why to Sydney Airport
40 minutes Frenchs Forest to Rozelle
23 minutes Manly to Macquarie Park
Bypass 19 sets of traffic lights through The Spit, Mosman and Neutral Bay
Sydney Metro Line 1 (Tallawong to Bankstown via City)
36 minutes Rouse Hill to City (travel time of 46 minutes to Martin Place compared to around 1 hour 22 minutes Rouse Hill to Wynyard by bus)
34 minutes Castle Hill to City (travel time of 35 minutes to Martin Place compared to around 1 hour 9 minutes Castle Hill to Wynyard by bus)
25 minutes Bankstown to Macquarie University
15 minutes Bankstown to North Sydney
25 minutes Bankstown to Barangaroo
24 minutes Belmore to Chatswood
24 minutes Belmore to Barangaroo
25 minutes Hurlstone Park to North Sydney
Sydney Metro West (Westmead to City)
11 minutes Parramatta to City North (target travel time of 20 minutes on Metro West compared to 31 minutes on current express trains Parramatta to Wynyard)
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