Restore Inner West Line Community Campaign and Petition to Restore "City Circle to Liverpool Via Regents Park" Train Services
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www.restoreinnerwestline.org.au Restore Inner West Line Community Campaign and Petition to restore "City Circle to Liverpool via Regents Park" train services Website: www.restoreinnerwestline.org.au www.restoreinnerwestline.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/RestoreInnerWestLine Twitter: www.twitter.com/@SydneyCampaigns #RestoreInnerWestLine Email: [email protected] Petition: http://bit.ly/RestoreInnerWestLine (www.change.org/p/restore-inner-west-line-reinstate-liverpool-and-bankstown-via-regents-park-train-services) 2013 SYDNEY TRAINS TIMETABLE CHANGE – INNER WEST LINE BEFORE 20 OCTOBER 2013 City to Liverpool via Regents Park City to Bankstown via Regents Park AFTER 20 OCTOBER 2013 (CURRENT) City to Homebush via Strathfield WORST DOWNGRADE IN A GENERATION TRAIN SERVICES GONE BACK TO 1924 Train line from Regents Park to Cabramatta opened in October 1924 to reduce overcrowding on Western Line around Lidcombe and Granville o In 2015, Transport for NSW stated “overcrowding has a substantial impact on reliability” especially on the Western Line through Granville (Strathfield to Parramatta) o Overcrowding on South Line and Western Line increased since the Inner West Line cuts o Reliability decreased on South Line and Bankstown Line since the Inner West Line cuts INCREASED TRAVEL TIMES, INCREASED INTERCHANGES, LONGER SERVICE GAPS, INCREASED OVERCROWDING 98% of trains cut between Lidcombe to Liverpool via Regents Park 30-minute service gaps at Lidcombe and Berala to Carramar on the Bankstown Line 3 Additional Interchanges at Birrong, Lidcombe, Strathfield Western Line and South Line trains are overcrowded with more passengers forced to interchange Loss of Access to the Inner West & Sydney CBD Increased Traffic Congestion (e.g. Arthur St/Centennial Drive, Flemington) Lack of Commuter Parking at Birrong and Lidcombe 1 April 28, 2017 www.restoreinnerwestline.org.au 15 STATIONS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED Homebush – only accessible via Strathfield (interchange), no trains from the west or southwest Flemington – loss of trains to Liverpool and Bankstown Lidcombe – loss of trains to Sefton to Carramar, 30-minute service gaps on Bankstown Line Berala – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Lidcombe Regents Park – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Lidcombe Sefton – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Birrong and Lidcombe (Birrong – now a major interchange without adequate parking, staffing, security or lifts) (Yagoona – forced interchange at Lidcombe for faster route to City) Chester Hill – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Birrong and Lidcombe Leightonfield – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Birrong and Lidcombe Villawood – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Birrong and Lidcombe Carramar – 30min service gaps, forced interchange at Birrong and Lidcombe Cabramatta – loss of trains to Regents Park Warwick Farm – loss of trains to Regents Park Liverpool – loss of trains to Regents Park GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN & ANDREW CONSTANCE NO COMMUNITY CONSULTATION OR AWARENESS Transport for NSW abandoned plans to send information packs to community groups (and MPs) o 2 Freedom of Information (GIPA) requests returned no evidence of consultations o Transport for NSW acknowledged that its 2013 Customer Timetable Stakeholder Engagement Plan was not fully carried out o Transport media spokesperson does not deny the absence of community consultations Cuts to trains were sudden and unannounced despite Transport for NSW acknowledging “significant issues” CUTS HIDDEN IN FINE PRINT “Customers at stations between Homebush and Liverpool will now catch trains operating on the South and Bankstown lines” – mentioned once in small caption on a diagram outlining the new Inner West Line as part of the 2013 Timetables Factsheets published online by Transport for NSW New Inner West Line Factsheet also indicated that old Inner West Line (City to Liverpool via Regents Park) had service gaps of up to 24 minutes but stations that have lost the Inner West Line have service gaps of 30 minutes! GOVERNMENT IN DENIAL ABOUT SITUATION Gladys Berejiklian (as Premier and when Transport Minister) and Andrew Constance have both refused invitations to visit stations such as Regents Park and Chester Hill affected by the cuts Patronage figures show a reduction in commuters using trains in the area as services are less frequent, and travel now requires more interchanges. More people are now driving due to poor public transport services. Berala to Carramar on the Bankstown Line has missed out on the “extra” Bankstown trains supposedly included in the 2013 Timetable. The Sydney Trains map released on 20 October 2013 showed the Inner West Line terminating at Homebush, but subsequent editions do not include this marking due to the government’s attempts to cover-up the train cuts because of community backlash against the changes. 2 April 28, 2017 www.restoreinnerwestline.org.au CASE STUDY: SEFTON TO HOMEBUSH Previous Timetable Current Timetable Sefton 7:48am Sefton 7:53am Birrong (Interchange) 8:05am Regents Park 7.52am Regents Park 8:09am Berala 7:54am Berala 9:12am Lidcombe 7:59am Lidcombe (Interchange) 8:20am Flemington 8:02am Flemington - Homebush 8:04am Homebush - Strathfield (Interchange) 8:43am Homebush 8:45am Total Journey Time 16 Mins Total Journey Time 52 Mins Interchanges 0 Interchanges 3 A 16 Minute direct journey with 1 train is now a 52 Minute indirect journey with 4 trains and 3 interchanges! Many students studying at Homebush Boys High School are affected by the 2013 Timetable Changes. FROM THE COMMUNITY High School Teacher: We’ve had to change our bell times in the afternoon as many of our students take the train Liberal Party supporter: This should not be a political issue rather it is a community need Local Resident: The State Government responds to my letters expressing concerns over the 3 extra interchanges needed by saying that to get to these destinations I need to interchange Local Resident: I come from Sri Lanka where the government discriminates against certain areas with the deliberate non-provision of essential services for opponents of the government and people of different ethnic caste backgrounds. It is not right for the NSW Liberal Government to treat West & South West Sydney like this because it is home to a large multicultural and ethic population as well as being Labor safe seats. Parent: My child travels to Homebush Boys High School from Berala, it used to be a direct journey, now he must change at Lidcombe and Strathfield Pensioner: I have written multiple letters to the State Liberal government raising concerns about the timetable changes/lack of trains & multiple interchanges but the (now former) Transport Minister (Gladys Berejiklian) has not replied to any of them School Prefects: Our morning Solomon Islands fundraiser has been cancelled because students can’t arrive with enough time to participate before classes start in the morning due to the timetable changes Students: I feel unsafe having to interchange at Birrong, before I had a direct train from Regents Park to Chester Hill which was also quicker University Student: To get to Australian Catholic University, Strathfield in the morning by 7am by public transport, I know must wake up at 5am (NB: Berala to Strathfield is 4 stations away) Worker: I used to catch the train from Birrong to Macquarie Uni for work which took 45 minutes now it takes 1½ hours as I must change at Lidcombe and wait for infrequent trains on the Bankstown Line Worker: It’s miserable, I live in Sefton and I used to be able to get to work near Central in an hour, but now it takes 2 hours as I’ve got to wait a lot longer for trains 3 April 28, 2017 www.restoreinnerwestline.org.au ACTION NEEDED! On behalf of the commuters and residents in the Auburn, Bankstown and Fairfield electorates, Restore Inner West Line asks for the following: 1. The pre-October 2013 Inner West Line train service restored: City to Liverpool via Regents Park 2. Train service frequency increased for Bankstown Line stations not receiving Sydney Metro 3. A review of the Sydney Trains timetable drafting and community consultation process 4. The Premier and Transport Minister to visit Regents Park and Chester Hill via rail SUPPORTERS OF RESTORE INNER WEST LINE Auburn MP Luke Foley (2015 election commitment) Retired Auburn MP Barbara Perry Bankstown MP Tania Mihailuk (2015 parliamentary motion) Fairfield MP Guy Zangari (2015 parliamentary speech) Newtown MP Jenny Leong (2015 parliamentary speech) Auburn City Council (2013 council motion) Strathfield Council (2014 council motion) SYDNEY METRO – SYDENHAM TO BANKSTOWN Construction of the Sydney Metro (Sydenham to Bankstown) will remove all direct city train services for commuters at 9 stations on the northern branch (to Lidcombe) and western branch (to Liverpool) of the Bankstown Line. Berala, Regents Park, Birrong, Yagoona, Sefton, Chester Hill, Leightonfield, Villawood, Carramar will be even worse off once the Bankstown Line is closed for Metro construction. Commuters at these stations must interchange at Birrong, Lidcombe, Cabramatta or Bankstown to travel to the City/Inner West. Transport for NSW has indicated plans to cut the Bankstown Line further at Cabramatta once the Metro opens. Currently the Bankstown Line operates all stations to Liverpool. Restoring the Inner West Line (City to Liverpool via Regents Park) would allow for a direct train to the City and Inner West for Berala – Carramar commuters. WESTCONNEX