Fears of overcrowding and loss of buses in Kingsford could play key role in the NSW state election

Forget stadiums, schools and hospitals, because just one roundabout in Sydney could bring down the NSW government tomorrow.

For all the talk of stadiums, schools and hospitals, there’s one roundabout in Sydney’s southeast that could play a crucial role in deciding the state election tomorrow.

Fed-up commuters lining up north of the Nine Ways intersection in Kingsford to catch a bus to the CBD already complain that the services are too full at peak hour, but once the $2.1 billion light rail is finally in place, it will be a whole different story.

That’s because, come this time next year, they will be joined by thousands of others who will be forced to get off their buses and stand in line for the shiny new trams — which are set to open at capacity from the get-go.

There are fears that the Nine Ways Kingsford roundabout could become overcrowded and chaotic during peak hour. Picture: AAP/Jane Dempster

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Fears of overcrowding and being unable to board trams are weighing heavily on the minds of some of the voters east of Nine Ways, in Coogee — one of the most marginal seats in the NSW Election tomorrow.

“There’s a reason why the light rail is regarded as the worst project in the history of NSW,” the hopeful Labor candidate for Coogee, Marjorie O'Neill, told news.com.au.

“It’s been a disaster for small businesses during the construction which has gone on and on. But, once it’s finished, nobody knows how it’s going to work.

“We know the light rail is opening at capacity, so people tell me they are worried by this idea that we’re funnelling people in buses up to (Nine Ways) so they can stand like a bunch of sardines on the platform, and they might not even be able to get a tram.”

Labor candidate for Coogee Marjorie O'Neill needs just a 2.9 per cent swing. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

Not only that, she says residents are worried they will lose the bus services that run down ANZAC Parade to the CBD, once the light rail kicks in.

It’s a fear Ms O’Neill said she has heard time and time again in the run-up to tomorrow’s vote and, as polls consistently show both major parties tied neck-and-neck, the seemingly minor issue could have a profound impact on who governs NSW.

That’s because Labor needs a swing of just 2.9 per cent to snatch the seat from Liberal candidate Bruce Notley-Smith, making it one of the key battlegrounds for votes.

Mr Notley-Smith, who has not responded to several requests by news.com.au for an interview, has promised upgrades to local schools and the Bondi Junction station and bus interchange.

However, even cashed-up, traditionally Liberal-voting residents in the Coogee electorate’s north, such as the ridiculously wealthy suburb of Bronte where the average house sells for more than $4 million, are starting to express anger towards the government’s transport policies.

Irate locals were brought to tears over the loss of the beloved 378 service from beachy Bronte to the CBD in November 2017, according to councillors who spoke to news.com.au.

Liberal MP Bruce Notley-Smith has promised upgrades to local schools and the Bondi Junction station. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Ms O'Neill said the decision to cut and change services has dealt a major blow to local trust in the government.

Services have been cut and changed without any community consultation at all,” Ms O’Neill said — pointing to the 361 and 378 bus services that no longer exist.

“They were important services. The 378 existed for more than 100 years and it was incredibly important, because it was the direct bus from Bronte into the city, which took people past critical health services at St Vincent’s Hospital — so a lot of people make life-changing decisions based off public transport.”

She said residents are concerned that express services like X73 and M50 are now at risk, alongside services which run down ANZAC Parade because of the light rail.

Concerned Coogee residents, like 32-year-old James Miles, who catches the 392 or 399 services to get to his bar job in the CBD, say they are being left in the dark over what will happen to their daily commutes.

“Once the light rail comes in, I suppose they’ll get rid of my bus route because it just seems like it’s doubling up, but I don’t really know what will happen,” said Mr Miles. “It seems like a backwards step for me, because I’ll need to get a bus and a tram rather than just one bus.”

“I reckon it’s going to be a s**tfight trying to catch a tram at Kingsford, because everyone’s going to pile up there at the same time,” said Luke Warrick, from Randwick.

“But what’s Labor going to do, they can’t exactly rip it (the light rail) up, can they?”

In response, Ms O’Neill has promised that Labor will not cut any bus services without local consultation, but admitted the party still needs to “figure out” how they will run alongside trams.

She added that Labor are committed to bringing back the 378 and it will look at bringing back the 361 service — from Tamarama to Bondi Junction.

“In terms of the government’s track record with other bus services, the fear is that — and it’s a legitimate fear — people are not partaking in any decision making,” she said.

Some locals are furious about the loss of services such as the 378. Picture: Alan Place

Also, Ms O’Neill is campaigning on new co-ed public high school in the eastern suburbs, due to a growing population, at the expense of the rebuild on Allianz Stadium — saying a failure to temporarily halt multibillion-dollar project until next week “epitomises the arrogance of this government”.

As a “hand-on-heart Roosters and Waratah’s fan” and a women’s rugby coach at UNSW, Ms O’Neill believes a more pressing issue is trying drive attendance up at live sports events, rather than building a new stadium.

“I want to support sports as much as possible, but it’s about priorities,” she said.

“Around here, there’s a desperate need for a coeducational public high school and if elected, the first thing we will do is have an audit of all government land to help find an appropriate land for a new school.”

She has also vowed to take on developments that are “grossly inappropriate for the area” — such as the proposed 36m twin towers in Bondi Junction — by scrapping “spot rezoning” which allows developers to bypass council approval.

Ms O'Neill says developments such as this proposed twin tower at Bondi Junction need to be stopped. Picture: Supplied

After speaking with residents for nine months as part of her campaigning Ms O’Neill said climate change was the “number one” issue that she heard concerns about — “people want real action.”

“It’s not just about environmental reasons, but it’s also economic because large scale solar investment is the only way we’re going to drive down electricity prices that have been increasing,” she said.

Labor want to put solar panels on top of 500,000 homes, state-owned renewables plan, plant six million trees by 2030 and ban single use plastic bags — while Ms O’Neill says her opponent “hasn’t got any sort of environmental plan”.

Dismissing the claim that climate change is a federal issue, she said an increasing onus is landing on state governments to take environmental action.

Others contesting the seat of Coogee include: Lindsay Shurey (Greens), Simon Garrod (Animal Justice Party), Josh Turnbull (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers), Joseph O’Donoghue (Keep Sydney Open), Luisa Murray (Sustainable Australia) and Ciaran O’Brien (Small Business Party).