Parramatta’s light rail stumbles out of the blocks
The opening month of the new $3 billion service has seen just 6300 passenger trips per day. This needs to more than triple in the next 12 months to meet internal government targets.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Parramatta’s $3 billion light rail has stumbled out of the blocks, with underwhelming passenger numbers and struggling businesses claiming foot traffic hasn’t improved.
New data reveals just 6300 people per day used the new transport system, which comprises 16 stops between Carlingford and Westmead, in the month from its opening on December 20.
The early figures indicate usage would need to more than triple over the next year to meet the project’s internal modelling, which is forecasting 22,000 trips per day on the light rail by 2026.
John Chammas, who owns Mama and Papas restaurant in Parramatta’s Church St, conceded while it “might take a little while” for locals to embrace the new system, small businesses were “not seeing the expected results from it” so far.
“We have waited a long time for it. There were lengthy delays. I’m here almost every day, during the day, at night. I’ve never seen a tram full. Sometimes they appear to be completely empty. It might take a little while. From a business point of view I don’t think it has made any change,” Mr Chammas told The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Chammas said a number of local businesses had not survived the major impact of the light rail’s lengthy construction and testing, which ran for a period of more than four years.
Anthony Lichaa, the operator of Lichaa Menswear, added the new network was “not a disaster yet” but noted “it’s quiet. We do not have the number of people, traffic wise, coming into Parramatta.”
Announced back in 2015, the former Coalition government promised the Parramatta Light Rail would be up and running by 2023.
However, it did not begin carrying passengers until December 2024, due to a range of factors including signalling issues and driver training.
Now up and running, service availability is no issue. For large parts of the day, trams arrive at the main platforms, including Dundas, Rydalmere, Rosehill Gardens, Church Street and Westmead Hospital at intervals of either nine or 12 minutes.
Regular commuters have noted there are issues accessing the beginning of the network at Carlingford, with the closest connecting above-ground station, Epping, nearly five kilometres away.
In a statement - a Transport for NSW spokesperson said “passenger numbers are expected to climb as schools return… and commuters adapt to the new service and its connections to heavy rail and buses.”
Construction on Stage 2 of the light rail, which will add a further 10km through to Olympic Park, is expected to begin shortly.
More Coverage
Originally published as Parramatta’s light rail stumbles out of the blocks
Join the conversation
Shredding Moore Park golf course will lose millions of tourism dollars
Popular with interstate and international visitors, Moore Park golf course provides millions of dollars in tourism benefits that will be at risk if the government closes down half the 18-hole layout.
Read more
Angry residents push for inquiry over rate rises
Furious North Sydney residents staring down the barrel of a massive 87 per cent rate rise have called on the Minns government to commence a public inquiry into the council after councillors voted in favour of the increase on Monday evening.
Read more