'These projects are like childbirth': Delays, technical difficulties mar light rail's first day

Sydney’s light rail service between Circular Quay and Randwick carried its first passengers on Saturday, as protesters demanded answers on the future of bus services in eastern suburbs.

Concerns have also been raised about the journey on trams taking up to 50 minutes - compared to 35 minutes on buses - as delays and technical difficulties marred the first day of service. A tram broke down and services were halted between Town Hall and Circular Quay.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian described her journey on Sydney's new light rail on Saturday as "better than expected".Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the transformation of parts of George Street into a tree-lined, pedestrian boulevard would elevate the city.

"We used to have 40 buses lined up on this street, noisy, belching fumes," she said. "It was really unpleasant."

Cr Moore said memories of the light rail’s troubled construction would fade once services commenced.

"I always say these projects are like childbirth," she said. "They’re terrible when you’re going through it but no one ever remembers any of that. They just remember the wonderful outcome."

Sydney's new light rail service experienced delays and technical issues on its first day of service.Credit: Michaela Whitbourn

Earlier in the day, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the light rail journey was "better than expected", while Transport Minister Andrew Constance said he was "ecstatic" after alighting from the tram at Randwick 35 minutes after it left Circular Quay, but without stopping for passengers.

“The trams should never have been taken out,” Mr Constance said.

Less enthused were more than 100 people who gathered at a nearby park to protest against the privatisation of buses. Many people also expressed concern about the impact of the light rail on existing bus services and whether travel times for the light rail would be slower than buses.

Marjorie O’Neill, the Labor member for Coogee, said residents were concerned about the potential loss of bus services.

Sydney commuters had their first opportunity to travel on Sydney's new light rail line between Circular Quay and Randwick.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

"The current estimated travel time at the moment is now over 50 minutes," she said. "That is significantly slower than our current bus services."

Queues of passengers including Paula Moylan and her children Audrey, 2, and Hugh, 5, lined up at Randwick to decide whether the construction of the light rail was worth the budget blowouts and years of delays and disruption to businesses and residents.

“It is exciting, isn’t Hughie?” Ms Moylan said. “We’ve been watching it for a while and the kids have been excited to see all the trams.”

However, Ms Moylan said she was unsure if the light rail would provide an easier commute to the city than buses.

Paula Moylan with her children, Hugh and Audrey, on the light rail on Saturday.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Murray Goldschmidt said he usually drove into the city, but would consider a tram if it meant a quicker journey.

However, he said the light rail route should have been extended to Maroubra Junction or Eastgardens rather than terminating at Kingsford.

Also onboard was Frank Ayrton, who worked as a conductor on Sydney trams in the 1950s.

Mr Ayrton said the trams that would travel between Circular Quay and Bondi via the “goat track” through Paddington, were a far cry from the sleek carriages gliding silently along Anzac Parade.

“It was my job to go along the footboard - one hand for the money, one hand for your tickets - and you balanced with your elbow,” he said.

“It was air-conditioned by heat and by cold and by wind and by rain.”

A coupled tram holds up to 450 passengers, the equivalent of nine buses, and the state government said the new network will move up to 13,500 commuters an hour during peak time in both directions.

Some 200,000 kilometres of tram testing has already taken place while the 100 drivers have each undertaken 190 hours of training.

Passengers can travel fare-free on the new trams this weekend, but Ms Berejiklian said there was “no way” the light rail service would be free like Melbourne’s CBD trams: “I think people value a service more when you have to pay for it.”

Ms Berejiklian said issues would arise during the tram’s first months of operations, urging pedestrians to be alert and avoid injury.

“Of course, a new system always has challenges,” she said. “I expect there to be teething challenges.”

Ms Berejiklian said the light rail project, which eventually cost $2.9 billion, had experienced cost over-runs, but “nothing that’s worth it is easy”.

She said similar complaints had been made about the cost of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge “and look at those things now. They’re icons."

"And I think the light rail in our CBD will be iconic moving forward.”