THE FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE EVOLUTION OF THE TRANSIT ECOSYSTEM Transport networks enable people to access all of the employment, education and recreational opportunities, and other essential services, that a city has to offer. As part of our ‘Metros: Helping to reimagine Sydney’ series, transportation specialist Roger Jeffries discusses how Transport for New South Wales used a brand new metro system as a catalyst to reimagine the entire transport ecosystem in Sydney. city’s mobility ecosystem essentially covering everything that cent per annum between 2002 and comprises multiple people use to move around a city. 2013.1 More recently, public transport transport modes, Road and rail corridors form the patronage has grown rapidly, with covering various services, backbone of the transport network in 89.6% Sydney experiencing an increase in rail infrastructure, ownership Australia’s most-populous cities. While per cent of motorized patronage of 28 per cent from 2015– and delivery models; and car travel remains high, representing travel nationally, is 2018 and an increase in bus patronage these differ in every city. These modes 89.6 per cent of motorized travel car travel, but has of 49 per cent in the same period. A been decreasing in are intertwined in a complex mobility nationally, it has been decreasing Sydney and Melbourne ecosystem focused on services and per capita in Sydney and Melbourne since 2004. Network optimisation is key to customers. The transport modes — for since 2004. The trunk travel task australian cities’ future example, cars, buses, trains, trams, is increasingly being delivered by Three globally significant metro bicycles and walking — together public transit across road and rail projects are underway in Australia: contribute to the mobility ecosystem infrastructure. Aggregate public Brisbane’s Cross River Rail; Melbourne through connected networks — transport patronage has increased, Metro; and Sydney Metro. climbing nationally by about 2.5 per THE FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE These will deliver fast, high- INCREASE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT PATRONAGE capacity, ‘turn-up-and-go’ services to support our growing capital cities via AGGREGATE PATRONAGE RAIL PATRONAGE BUS PATRONAGE a reimagined, efficient, reliable and modern transport ecosystem. If, like me, you live in Sydney, 2.5% 2.8% 49% you are probably all too aware of the 2002-2013 2015-2018 2015-2018 visible signs of a transport system that is creaking at the seams and failing to meet the city’s needs, and where Increase in public transport patronage congestion is negatively impacting both the city’s productivity and liveability. Many cities, including the Australian Metro Northwest, the first of three Metros’ transformational impact capital cities, already have measures in Changes like these help to increase stages, opened in May 2019, delivering place to manage this ecosystem to try the passenger capacity, efficiency and Australia’s first automated metro line. to maintain its healthy function for a reliability of the networks within the It runs for 36 kilometres (km) above viable, vital city. ‘Network optimization’ ecosystem. However, there comes a and below Sydney from Rouse Hill in through a variety of measures, such as point, especially in cities experiencing Sydney’s rapidly growing Northwest technology, operational management, population growth rates at the level Growth Area, (40 km from Sydney’s policy and pricing, are used to manage of Sydney and Melbourne, when the Central Business District (CBD)) to supply and demand to make existing network reaches capacity. Investment the strategic center of Chatswood in transport assets work more efficiently. is then needed to support continued North Sydney, with easy connections Other ways of optimizing the network urban growth and development, to to the nearby CBD. The Sydney Metro include removing on-street parking and balance customers’ travel demands Northwest line can currently move up introducing a bus rapid transit lane to for increasingly complex patterns of to 15,600 passengers an hour in each an existing road corridor, or actively journeys, and to support a healthy, direction, with the potential to move as managing traffic signal controls to vibrant city. many as 40,000 passengers an hour in address congestion or delays caused by That’s when transport planners and each direction when service frequency disruptions in real time. government agencies look to make is gradually increased from five minutes Elsewhere in the mobility fundamental changes that introduce to two minutes in the future. ecosystem, cities’ urban rail networks more efficient transport modes to the The newly opened station precincts are being enhanced. Track-side network, such as automated turn-up- on Sydney Metro Northwest have signalling is making way for in-cab and-go metro services. At the core of created new spaces for employers and signalling and systems that allow any transport investment is the need service providers to thrive, supported more trains to run closer together on to achieve an efficiency enhancement by increased footfall as thousands existing tracks. This enhances the beyond what was already in place. of people move between the metro utilization of infrastructure, increasing Unlike a typical suburban bus stop, and buses, bicycles, ride-sharing frequency, reliability and capacity. a new metro station can transform an services and walking to surrounding entire precinct, as the focus of a new residential suburbs. multi-modal hub bringing together Due to the high rates of car multiple transport modes and services, ownership and usage in the region, with associated efficient urban Sydney Metro Northwest was development opportunities to provide designed specifically to enable current housing, employment, schools and car commuters to instead adopt a UNLIKE A TYPICAL SUBURBAN BUS other necessary urban services. comfortable, convenient, safe and Sydney Metro is Australia’s largest more reliable metro service. STOP, A NEW METRO STATION CAN public transport program. Sydney TRANSFORM AN ENTIRE PRECINCT, AS THE FOCUS OF A NEW MULTI- MODAL HUB BRINGING TOGETHER ON THE FIRST DAY OF OPERATION MULTIPLE TRANSPORT MODES EQUIVALENT TO: REPLACING: AND SERVICES, WITH ASSOCIATED 21,000 17,000 500 12 EFFICIENT URBAN DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE TRAVELLING CAR JOURNEYS BUS JOURNEYS LANES OF TRAFFIC ON SYDNEY METRO TRAVELLING OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE DURING THE FIRST NOSE TO TAIL HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, MONDAY PEAK PERIOD SCHOOLS AND OTHER NECESSARY URBAN SERVICES. On the first day of operation — THE FUTURE OF INFRASTRUCTURE CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE of local precincts as destinations in funnel even more cars onto already Reshaping the transit network themselves. There has also been a busy urban streets. Although the for better mobility In preparing and planning for the noticeable change in urban planning initial capital cost may appear to new metro, Transport for New South and design to ensure that people take be high, the fully-automated trains Wales (TfNSW) sought to reshape priority over all vehicular transport, have important benefits for both the rest of the transport network especially in the transitionary zones passengers and transit authorities, to support the metro’s efficient closest to metro stations. such as flexibility, reliability, safety, operation, with the aim of ensuring and security of operation as well as a that Sydney Metro Northwest was set reduction in dwell time, which makes Infrastructure with a strong up for success from day one. the investment particularly attractive. return on investment This involved re-routing bus services Sydney Metro represents a significant For example, the return on investment to increase their efficiency as measured step up in the capacity to move people for the automation of the Paris Metro by ‘bus operating kilometres’ to feed across the network. It has allowed Line 1 should be reached in 2027, only into the metro system. This expanded the city to re-imagine its mobility 15 years after its commissioning. A the metro’s catchment area with ecosystem to better focus the city similar outcome in Sydney would regular, reliable feeder services and on the needs of its people, while produce an excellent return on enabled TfNSW to introduce ‘headway delivering faster, more reliable travel, investment for something that will services’ that are based on a maximum enhancing the urban character of benefit us for 50 years or more. waiting time, as opposed to a specific local neighborhoods and creating This article first appeared on time of day service. vibrant places where people want AECOM’s Sydney Metro microsite. If Sydney Metro Northwest had to work, live and play. It has created Visit the site to read more about opened and some city-bound buses had a more sustainable and equitable Sydney Metro. not been re-routed, some people might alternative to building more roads to still choose to stick with the bus rather than switching to the more efficient metro service. These changes have freed up more buses to run orbital north/ south services, connecting even more communities to the new metro line and better connecting strategic and local centers to each other. Another important TfNSW consideration was accessibility. Modern metro services are accessible to all people and are fully inclusive in their design to facilitate ease of access for people with prams, in wheelchairs or carrying luggage, and this imperative was central to the design of the new metro line. The NSW government’s investment in Sydney Metro Northwest has also facilitated the creation of safer and higher quality public realm that integrates local community and businesses in a way that enhances both customers’ Sydney Metro door-to-door journeys and the role Investment in infrastructure has the power to alleviate today’s economic distress and create opportunities for tomorrow. infrastructure.aecom.com.