AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE COMMITTEE FOR ’S JOINT SUBMISSION TO THE GREATER SYDNEY COMMISSION & TRANSPORT FOR NSW JANUARY 2018 AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY’S JOINT SUBMISSION TO THE GREATER SYDNEY COMMISSION & TRANSPORT FOR NSW

The Committee’s December 2017 joint PART 1 – THE COMMITTEE’S submission to the Greater Sydney Commission SUBMISSION TO THE GREATER (GSC) Draft Greater Sydney Region Plan, SYDNEY COMMISSION the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) Draft Future Transport Strategy 2056 and the linked A more clearly defined planning hierarchy: TfNSW Draft Greater Sydney Services The primacy of the Plan – A Metropolis of Three Cities and Infrastructure Plan was a significant (AMO3C) – needs to be reinforced. The Committee argues contribution, weighing in at 70 pages. While that “other State and Local Government plans should be that document contains the sum of months required to conform and support the Plan and its preferred urban structure, including all agencies which have a role in of evidence building and consultation with delivering infrastructure and services for the city”. members, the Committee recognises the Recommendation 1: That the GSC’s metropolitan and district need for a shorter summary. This paper plans be made statutory. unpacks the submission’s main findings Recommendation 2: That local plans, and other government and recommendations. If you would like planning strategies, be required to align with and support the further information, our full submission is GSC’s published plans. Where they conflict, the GSC’s plans available online. should take priority.

The Committee’s submission came out strongly in favour of Stronger Local Government input: the role and function of the GSC and its broader vision for Greater Sydney. In particular, the Committee was strongly The Committee’s submission argues that to encourage supportive of the decision by both the GSC, as well as further alignment going forward, Sydney’s councils should TfNSW to embrace the alignment of land-use and transport be given a greater role in the governance of the GSC. One planning. The Committee has long argued in favour of such option to achieve this objective would be through a series a change. In order to reflect this alignment, our submission of ‘high level forums’ with council leaders and general was developed to respond to both inquiries, with all managers at which the plans and activities of the GSC our recommendations going to both departments. The would be discussed. Committee believes that you cannot achieve the objectives Recommendation 3: That the NSW Government establish a of either organisation without this linkage, and argues that twice a year (or quarterly) forum between itself, the GSC and Sydney will only flourish if there remains a close relationship both the leaders and general managers of local councils to and mutual understanding between our strategic help secure more Local Government input into the drafting planning bodies. and updating of GSC documents. Going forward, Sydney’s transport network must reinforce core city planning objectives and outcomes – supporting greater access to jobs and increasing residential density close to public transport. It must also enhance the liveability of places and centres, delivered through a hierarchy of transport mode users with greater emphasis on pedestrians and cyclists than has been the case in previous transport strategies. The Committee commends both the Greater Sydney Commission and Transport for NSW for this innovative and Front Page Image Credit: Sydney aerial view’, by Maksym Kozlenko licenced important alignment. under CC BY-SA 4.0.

2 Securing consistency across government: Tracking the Western Sydney jobs gap: The Committee argues that the GSC “will be judged not The Committee’s submission cites research by Western just by the content of its plan but by the capacity of the Sydney University (WSU) which found that while almost metropolitan and cross-agency coordination it embodies 14,000 people enter the work force each year in Greater and promotes to avoid repeating the errors of the past”. Western Sydney, only 8,000 jobs are created. To rectify To ensure the GSC’s broader vision for Sydney is delivered this imbalance, the Committee argues that Sydney needs upon, there will need to be a specific strategy to prevent a “decisive shift in the proportion of knowledge jobs being departments acting as silos and to deliver consistency created in Western Sydney”, while also making sure that across government. the “jobs which are agglomerating in the ‘Harbour CBD’ are The Committee argues that greater clarity around made more accessible to people living in the Central and benchmarks, metrics and targets for assessing the Western Cities”. The former will be achieved through a focus implementation of the GSC Plan and the progress of the on strategic centres and collaboration areas, while the latter city is needed, and that the GSC should be given greater will be addressed through high-speed, mass-transit. authority and powers to review other government agencies, Challenge for further discussion: According to the beyond just the role of collaborator and facilitator. GSC’s data, for every dwelling in the Eastern City District For example, in the ‘Western City’, the Draft Plan is seeking there are 1.28 jobs presently available in nearby centres. to build a city the size of Canberra today. The Department By 2036, that ratio will surge to 1.4 ‘jobs per dwelling’. For of Education and Training should publish a plan on how residents in the Western City District however, the ratio will and where new schools are to be delivered and in what increase by a much smaller amount, from the already low sequence. This plan would be audited against the GSC’s base of 0.32 ‘jobs per dwelling’ to the still low level of 0.36 vision, with land use and transport integration resulting in far by 2036. In the Central City District, which encompasses more walkable journeys between schools and homes. , the increase will be even smaller, shifting from 0.55 to 0.57 over 20 years. Disturbingly, the GSC’s own The Committee also urges consideration of a ‘pan Sydney forecast is for the jobs imbalance to be worse in 2036 than City Deal’ involving the three tiers of government to it is today. drive the delivery of elements of the Draft Plan across the city. Furthermore, the submission recommends the Figure 1. ‘The ratio of ‘Jobs in Centres’ to ‘Dwellings establishment of ‘State Government-to-Local Government’ by District’ City Deals to drive a program of town centre renewal 1.5 across Sydney. 2017 Recommendation 4: That the GSC be given greater 1.2 2036 authority and powers to review other government agencies, beyond just a role of collaborator and facilitator. NET CHANGE 0.9 Recommendation 5: That GSC compliant long-term plans are developed by all major infrastructure departments 0.6 of government, including Local Government, to ensure consistency with the long-term plan across governments. 0.3 Recommendation 6: That the Federal Government’s City Deals program be expanded as a further means of aligning 0.0 and coordinating delivery of urban infrastructure, with EASTERN CITY CENTRAL WESTERN CITY DISTRICT CITY DISTRICT DISTRICT consideration of a similar model to be rolled out at the ‘State Government-to-Local Government’ level. Recommendation 7: That baseline mapping of the current effective job density across Sydney be conducted to track how the imbalance shifts over the lifetime of the GSC Plan and TfNSW Strategy. Recommendation 8: That baseline mapping be undertaken, not just of 30 minute access within the three cities by public transport, but also of the time taken to get to the Harbour City from all parts of Sydney.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 3 Figure 2: The number of jobs accessible within 30-minutes in Sydney on a weekday morning

Source: Committee for Sydney, The Geography of Time, 2017.

Rebalancing the city using connectivity and placemaking: The Committee welcomes the GSC’s focus on placemaking as an employment generator, and agrees that “supporting the revitalisation of our many town centres and improving their connectivity with better transport is critical to improving urban productivity, environmental sustainability and the health and well-being of our citizens”. Recommendation 9: That appropriate acknowledgement be given to the role of strategic centres and town centres as job agglomeration locations provided that they are well designed, walkable, amenable & well connected by mass-transit.

4 Turning Sydney’s strategic centres and town Recommendation 11: That the GSC support the development centres into job hubs: of centres as job hubs by initiating a town centre urban renewal and design program in association with local While the Committee commends the emphasis on the councils in Sydney, supported by the Government Architect importance of ‘centres’ for job creation, the Committee argues (GANSW), to improve the urban design of centres, such as by that there “needs to be more fine-grained analysis of what implementing ‘Chicago Complete Streets’ style policies and kinds of centres are likely to be the focus of jobs in future, providing the green infrastructure to improve their amenity what kinds of jobs will be generated and where those centres and walkability. will be”. There also needs to be more focus on encouraging vibrant, safe and economically successful town centres Recommendation 12: That centre-supporting social and at night. transportation infrastructure improvements are framed with wider renewal and city-shaping objectives in mind. This will Challenge for further discussion: The Committee include the coordination of station upgrades, public realm submission notes that in the current Draft Plan, “most enhancements and any development restructuring of the future residential development in Sydney is away from the core area. existing ‘strategic centres’ and that most of the existing strategic centres are not in Western Sydney. This raises Challenge for further discussion: The relationship the question as to whether, in growing the population of between homes and centres is significantly more the Western City, we are actually intending to create new dispersed in the Western Parkland City than other parts of strategic centres to help provide employment close to the city. By 2036, the Western Parkland City is projected them, in addition to developing the amenity, connectivity, to be a city of 10 centres, with a population of 1.5 million and economic attraction of Liverpool, Penrith, people, spread over an area that is roughly twice the size Campbelltown and Blacktown”. of the Central City and Eastern City combined. This means that the average distance from a home to a centre will be Recommendation 10: That the GSC conduct more fine- much further in the Western Parkland City, while the jobs grained analysis of what kinds of centres are likely to be the and services that are located within those centres will be focus of jobs in future, what kinds of jobs will be generated, substantially less accessible. and where those centres will be.

Image Credit: Forest Road Entrance to Hurstville Central’, July 2017, by Philip Terry Graham licenced under CC BY 2.0.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 5 Figure 3: A map of centre locations in the Greater Sydney Commission’s Draft Greater Sydney Region Plan

Source: Committee for Sydney and Cox Architecture, 2017. Recommendation 13: That the GSC provide more clarity about whether there will be new strategic centres established to support the substantial population growth in the Western Parkland City, including specific detail about how new centres would complement and support the existing centres of Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Blacktown. Recommendation 14: In the event of new centres being created, that the planning and delivery of those centres be undertaken by a dedicated delivery vehicle, potentially in the form of new Urban Development Corporations (UDCs) modelled on the UK New Town Development Corporation model. Recommendation 15: That the GSC further boost jobs by developing a strategy to grow the night time economy of Sydney’s strategic and town centres, with advice to be taken from the Committee’s soon to be released report into Sydney’s Night Time Economy.

6 Establishing a hierarchy of transport Distributing jobs through mode users: Collaboration Areas: The Committee notes that any place based strategy to The Committee supports the concept of ‘Collaboration turn strategic centres and town centres into job hubs Areas’ and seeks a long-term commitment from the GSC to will necessarily require a commitment to a hierarchy of delivering these precincts, with more and better transport transport mode users with greater priority on pedestrians and accessibility options. The Committee agrees that the and cyclists than has typically been the case in previous ‘Collaboration Areas’ concept could help bring government transport strategies. and private sector together to calibrate local services and Recommendation 16: That the both the GSC and Transport infrastructure to support business platforms and to help for NSW keep their proposed ‘Movement and Place’ hierarchy “solve local operating problems”. of transport users, but that the shift away from car-heavy Challenge for further discussion: The timeframes for road use be more heavily emphasised. activity and focus on the Collaboration Areas by the GSC seem very short term for a 40-year plan, which raises Funding ‘Centre Renewal’ and infrastructure: several questions including: 1) What long term support will The Committee argues that the NSW Government should be provided to sustain the identified Collaboration Areas, consider creating a UK inspired “Town Centre Renewal and; 2) What is the long-term role of the GSC in such areas? Challenge Fund, which could put up some government Recommendation 20: That the NSW Government look to funding, matched by local councils, and perhaps other best practice international case studies in order to better private funding, for the best town master planning and inform the long-term planning of the GSC’s proposed transformation programs in Greater Sydney”. Collaboration Areas. The Committee also notes that local councils would likely bear Challenge for further discussion: Innovation Districts much of the cost associated with town centre renewal and internationally are heavily reliant on good public transport argues that the time has come to finally abolish rate capping. access and walkability, and it is not clear whether all nine Finally, the Committee’s submission considers the challenges of the Collaboration Areas will have such infrastructure. associated with building new rail infrastructure to better Recommendation 21: That the NSW Government ensure connect centres, and comes out strongly in support of value all Collaboration Areas are supported by necessary public capture policies to augment existing funding mechanisms. transport infrastructure, with their importance being reflected However, it should be noted that the canvassed Special in and supported by their relevant district plans.. Infrastructure Contribution (SIC) model only provides ‘one- off’ funding, rather than the recurrent funding required to Rebalancing job access using high-speed cover ongoing operation costs. The Committee has long mass-transit: supported the introduction of a broad-based land tax to The Committee argues that the economic rebalancing of support Sydney’s development and to help fund necessary Sydney sought by the GSC can only come via a ‘modal public transport. The proposed tax would not need to be shift’ towards mass-transit. This necessary rebalancing also high, just sufficient in scope to help defray the gap between needs to result in a spatial extension of Sydney’s rail network ticket revenue and the existing government subsidy. to cover more of Sydney and to better connect more Recommendation 17: That the NSW Government establish Sydneysiders to fast transport between where they live and a Town Centre Renewal Challenge Fund, modelled on similar where they work. funds used previously in the United Kingdom. The prompt delivery of the Western Metro is a critical Recommendation 18: That council rate capping be component of this and should eventually be extended to the abolished. If rate capping is not to be removed completely, Western Parkland City, in addition to a new Badgerys Creek consideration should be given to changing how IPART Airport high speed, high volume connection with few stops. determines the annual increase. A simple formula might be Recommendation 22: That the final GSC Plan specifically combining CPI increases with a further proportional increase acknowledge that getting from the CBD to Parramatta in 15 to reflect the rate of population growth in each LGA. minutes and from the CBD to the Badgerys Creek Airport in Recommendation 19: That a broad based, metropolitan land under 30 minutes is essential if the three cities are to grow as tax be introduced with all revenue strictly hypothecated for one metropolis. use on key urban infrastructure.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 7 Better phasing of infrastructure priorities: The Committee notes its concern that the West Metro was not identified in the Draft Plan as an “urgent priority”. The Committee argues that “without it there is the danger of the three 30-minute cities amounting to an institutionalising of the current 90-minute city, and of the city continuing its sprawl trajectory”. The submission argues that new high-speed rail links are critical “to binding the three cities together and to increasing the Effective Job Density in parts of the city currently too far from a rail network in Western Sydney”. Challenge for further discussion: Prioritising the F6 and the Link over West Metro will not have the rebalancing effect sought by the GSC. Recommendation 23: That the NSW Government give primacy to the West Metro above the F6 and Northern Beaches Link. Recommendation 24: That the NSW Government implement a specific plan to ensure fast rail connectivity between the Sydney CBD, Parramatta and Badgerys Creek. Recommendation 25: That the NSW Government pursues a decisive ‘modal shift’ towards rail in Western Sydney with a network that effectively links Blacktown, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Parramatta to each other and to the new airport. Recommendation 26: That the NSW Government immediately begin planning for a north-south rail network via the new airport.

Figure 4. The Committee for Sydney’s rail vision for Sydney

Source: Committee for Sydney, 2016. Connecting Western Sydney: Submission to the Australian Government Western Sydney Rail Needs Scoping Study, page 8. The coloured arrows have been overlayed on to the Western Sydney Rail Options map and represent the Committee’s priority rail projects of a high-speed east-west line and a north-south rail link.

8 Set a ‘modal shift’ target for mass and Sydney in its regional context, connected active transport: by mass-transit: The Committee argues that for the GSC to succeed with The Committee agrees with both the GSC and TfNSW that its plans, it is critical that the final Greater Sydney Region Greater Sydney is on its way to becoming a ‘city-region’ Plan include transport ‘modal shift’ targets, with progress of five cities, connected through greater and mutually assessed at frequent intervals between the current baseline beneficial interactions between Sydney, Newcastle/ and the end of each plan’s implementation time frame. and Wollongong. This recognition means that the NSW Recommendation 27: That the GSC’s final Greater Sydney Government now needs to start thinking about how to Region Plan allocate each of the three cities a series of integrate and capitalise on this extended conurbation, and ‘modal shift’ targets, with cumulative city-wide targets also how to better link it with faster mass-transit. put in place. The Committee also suggests that in planning the future city region, the NSW Government may find that Parramatta is Better infrastructure appraisal: the most natural centre for a rail interchange, not just for a The Committee has long called for a changed, more Greater Sydney of three cities but for the ‘city-region’ of five evidence-based and less siloed approach to infrastructure cities in 2056. appraisal and prioritisation. The Committee’s submission Recommendation 31: That the NSW Government add to its argues that there needs to be a “greater role for the GSC in ’30 minute’ Sydney targets with a new regional ‘one hour’ infrastructure appraisal and prioritisation”. target for rail connections from Sydney to Wollongong and Specifically, the Committee’s submission argues that “the Sydney to Newcastle. merits of all future transport infrastructure should be appraised against its ability to meet the preferred structure Planning for the ‘aerotropolis’: of the city” and be “required to align to the delivering The Committee argues that it is vital that the new Western of AMO3C”. be planned to support the region and not The Committee notes that recognition of ‘place’ in both cannibalise the existing strategic town centres of Western documents should also logically lead to the prioritisation of Sydney. The Committee argues that there needs to be key infrastructure projects over others because they create much more detail provided to the public about what an better ‘place’ outcomes, which in so doing will enhance ‘aerotropolis’ is, as neither its nature or its location was productivity, liveability and sustainability. established clearly by the GSC Draft Plan. Recommendation 28: That there be a shift in the Challenge for further discussion: It remains unknown infrastructure appraisal process away from its current what the proposed ‘aerotropolis’ will be or what kind of rail focus on travel-time reduction and towards a focus on connectivity it will enjoy, or what the centres around it will transport modes which deliver better and broader economic look like. outcomes, greater amenity, sustainability and connectivity Challenge for further discussion: It is highly likely for more people; including a preference for modes that that much economic development promoted by the deliver that higher density urban form in and around the airport will be heavily automated, potentially leading to a key centres. relatively jobless growth scenario. Recommendation 29: That the NSW Government prioritise Recommendation 32: That the GSC clearly outline its transport projects and modes which support placemaking expectations for the aerotropolis, including any impacts & liveability, and which enable the increasing numbers of that development of the airport will have on the jobs and workers in the knowledge economy to access their jobs economic strength of nearby centres. in centres in less than 30 minutes, without worsening congestion on the roads. Recommendation 30: That all future transport projects be assessed against how they would impact each of the proposed ‘modal shift’ shift targets.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 9 Housing targets and the affordability surprising, as are the housing numbers and densities question: expected along the Northwest Rail Link (now Metro) compared with the Metro in the Sydenham- The Committee supports the adoption of affordable housing corridor. It is difficult to understand why the housing targets for each district, but remains concerned that the numbers and densities in and around both corridors are proposed targets do not adequately reflect the employment not more closely aligned. and infrastructure capacity of each district. Recommendation 38: That the NSW Government consider The Committee also welcomes the GSC’s commitment to increasing the housing targets for those areas that currently inclusionary zoning, but has called for greater certainty on have the best connectivity and employment, and to modify the target to be delivered through the planning system. The the housing targets for some other areas further West. Committee argues that the proposed caveats to this policy are too broad, which could severely undermine the NSW Government’s stated housing affordability targets. Supporting Sydney’s green infrastructure: The Committee argues that “green infrastructure must be Recommendation 33: That the GSC and the NSW at the heart of the future development of Sydney, and is Government develop a more comprehensive housing central to creating a more sustainable city and to generating strategy for all tenures and typologies. community support for Sydney’s growth”. Recommendation 34: That the new strategy include greater The Committee also applauds the South Creek Corridor public-sector funding for new and affordable housing. Plan and its dual role as the key provider of both amenity Recommendation 35: That the NSW Government remove and environmental outcomes, creating attractive urban planning and non-planning barriers to small, family led communities. However, the Committee argues that this vision developments, such as terrace and attached housing, and for well-connected transit oriented compact communities that this should include removing barriers of minimum lot within a Parkland City can only be achieved if the spread of sizes, especially around transport nodes. low density housing into parkland areas is avoided. Recommendation 36: That the NSW Government help Recommendation 39: That the Green Grid be implemented facilitate the development of new housing business models as a priority, building on the excellent pilot project such as built-to-rent. around Parramatta. Recommendation 37: That the NSW Government fine Recommendation 40: That the policy to maintain riparian tune its inclusionary zoning policy to better deliver on its corridors in public ownership be maintained. ambitions to boost affordable housing supply across Sydney. Recommendation 41: That the detailed level of analysis undertaken to deliver on a multitude of environmental and The location of new housing supply: developmental outcomes for the South Creek Corridor be The Committee also notes a weakness in the GSC’s housing replicated for the other regions of Sydney, including a specific target of 725,000 extra dwellings by 2036, or 36,250 per strategy to avoid urban spawl. year. Specifically, the GSC’s Draft Plan assumes that the peak productivity rate of growth that has been seen in the last KPIs, big data, and the Smart City strategy: three years will be further increased. The Committee is not The Committee has long argued that it is vital for Greater convinced that this rate of development will be maintained Sydney to become a more data-driven and responsive city over the next three years, let alone the life of the Plan. and that Sydney cannot claim to be a Smart City without The Committee also argues that “greater justification is such an approach. The Committee’s submission similarly needed on why some districts are to experience greater argues for “clear and measurable metrics on the city’s and faster population growth than others” and warns that performance” that could be measured against a series of “the mismatch between housing and employment targets city wide targets. for some Districts may aggravate the existing spatial and Recommendation 42: That in line with the Committee’s economic divide in Sydney”. recently published issues paper, #WeTheCity3, the NSW Challenge for further discussion: Comparisons between Government appoint a Smart City Commissioner to the the housing numbers being planned on the Upper North GSC with a mandate to promote a more data-driven and Shore of Sydney versus those planned for the Canterbury- responsive Sydney and GSC. Bankstown corridor are illuminating and somewhat

10 PART 2 – THE COMMITTEE’S Will the draft TfNSW Strategy deliver on the SUBMISSION TO TRANSPORT 30-minute city?: FOR NSW The Committee’s submission expresses its deep concern that Many of the recommendations contained in the submission the proposed West Metro was not identified in the TfNSW to the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) Draft Future Transport Draft Strategy as an “urgent priority”. Bluntly, the Committee Strategy 2056 and the linked Draft Greater Sydney Services cannot see how the GSC’s objectives of rebalancing Sydney and Infrastructure Plan were also included within the towards a 30-minute city, which the TfNSW Strategy is meant submission to the GSC. As such, the following summary to support, can be met without it. contains mostly new information not yet visited, or existing Challenge for further discussion: Without the West recommendations that have received strong re-emphasis. Metro, there is a high likelihood that the three 30-minute Overall, the Committee commends both the GSC and cities will in effect amount to the institutionalisation of TfNSW for the unique extent of the collaboration that the 90-minute city that Sydney has now, with the city has been achieved thus far, and suggests that such continuing its dangerous sprawl trajectory. collaboration will be required on an ongoing basis if Sydney Recommendation 44: That the final TfNSW Future Transport is to be both sustainable and successful at mid-century. Strategy 2056 document properly adheres to the broader goals of the GSC, prioritising projects that deliver on the Mass-transit as an enabler for effective objectives of the GSC Plan and its preferred urban structure job density: for Sydney, most notably the ‘30-minute city’ objective. The Committee’s submission argues that one of the Recommendation 45: That the final TfNSW Future Transport primary factors holding Sydney’s competitive performance Strategy 2056 document specifically lists the West Metro and social inclusion back is a huge and historical under- as an “urgent priority” above both the F6 and the Northern investment in mass-transit. Beaches Link. The submission points out that “better public transport access has been shown to improve effective job density and Could Parramatta be the city-region rail improve health outcomes by incentivising people to walk to interchange of Sydney?: rail stations or bus stops”. Earlier research by the Committee The Committee’s submission argues that beyond the has also confirmed that places with poor access to mass- three cities immediately envisaged by the GSC for Greater transit perform less well economically, and are associated Sydney, the city is in fact already on its way to becoming with what has become known as the ‘walking deficit a ‘city-region’ of five cities, including both Wollongong and disorder’ or type 2 diabetes. the Newcastle/Gosford region. Challenge for further discussion: The Committee The Committee’s submission argues that it is possible notes that much of Sydney’s public transport network is that Parramatta may in fact be the natural ‘city-region’ heavily concentrated east of Parramatta, while residential rail interchange for the emerging Newcastle-Sydney- development has trended westwards, reinforcing the Wollongong region. A rail interchange at Parramatta economic attractiveness of Eastern Sydney, while will reinforce the concept of the GSC’s ‘Central City’, putting immense strain on west-east transport corridors support greater connectivity to Western Sydney, and also and exacerbating the economic and health divisions enhance connectivity to the economies of Wollongong across Sydney. and Newcastle/Gosford. Recommendation 43: That the NSW Government develop Recommendation 46: That the final TfNSW Future Transport a strategy to reduce the effective job density gap that exists Strategy 2056 document includes a pathway towards between the eastern Harbour CBD City and the rest of the the development of high-speed rail projects connecting city. Detailed policies to address this are outlined in the first both Wollongong and Newcastle to Greater Sydney within chapter of this submission, including calls for a stronger one hour. focus on mass-transit rail links. Recommendation 47: That the NSW Government considers whether Parramatta is the more sensible location to develop as a city-regional rail interchange for the regional ‘five city’ network.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 11 Figure 5. Parramatta at the heart of the city-region rail interchange

Source: Cox Architecture, 2017.

12 Reemphasising the need for ‘modal shift’ targets: The Committee also urges TfNSW to recognise the vital importance of implementing a ‘modal shift’ target for Greater Sydney, with progress assessed at frequent intervals between the current baseline and the end of the Plan’s implementation time-frame. The Committee’s recommendation to both the GSC and TfNSW is that each of Greater Sydney’s ‘three cities’ be allocated their own ‘modal shift’ target, within a cumulative three cities total. The Committee notes that without such a target, there is no real visible and accountable KPI or incentive for the transport system to deliver on TfNSW’s stated values including its evident support for a mass-moving and active transport network for Greater Sydney. Challenge for further discussion: The submission notes that TfNSW itself stresses that by 2056 the ‘Harbour CBD’ will have a population density ‘similar to Singapore today’, while Greater Parramatta will have a population density ‘similar to what London has today’. And yet, in the Draft TfNSW Strategy, the private vehicle mode share of Sydney in 2056 is depicted to be significantly higher than the current levels of other global cities with comparable populations. Recommendation 48: That the final TfNSW Future Transport Strategy 2056 document also include ‘modal shift’ targets that are consistent with recommendation 26 of this submission. The targets should be consistent and specifically included in both the final TfNSW Future Transport Strategy 2056 document and the final GSC Greater Sydney Region Plan document.

Figure 6. The existing Transport for NSW private vehicle mode share forecasts

Source: TfNSW, 2017, Draft Future Transport Strategy 2056, page 29.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 13 Embracing road user pricing: that in acknowledgement of such a shift, it is now incumbent on the NSW Government to review its infrastructure The Committee argues that the future tightening of budget appraisal processes. forecasts among other factors has triggered a need to discuss road user pricing. The Committee’s submission Challenge for further discussion: The Committee’s argues that a road user scheme would be useful for forward submission shares the concerns expressed by Canterbury- funding the construction of roads and public transport Bankstown Council that the balance is not right yet vis a projects, ideally with a mode-neutral approach to allocating vis the ‘efficiency’ of the new Metro through their area and transport funding. the quality and impact of station design at Bankstown. The The Committee also argues that road user pricing would submission argues that ‘impact on place’ needs to become be useful for driving a change in behaviour, which would a consideration when choosing the design and scope of reduce congestion by reducing trips in peak times on new transport infrastructure. congested roads. Recommendation 50: That the NSW Government better clarify the differences between different categories of ‘streets’ Recommendation 49: That the NSW Government consider and ‘roads’, to better develop a more place friendly ‘hierarchy moving towards the broader implementation of road-user of users’ for each category. The Committee’s view is that this pricing, with all revenue hypothecated strictly for transport hierarchy of users should have an even more place friendly purposes while maintaining a mode-neutral approach for focus than was envisaged in both the GSC Draft Plan and the evaluating expenditure proposals. TfNSW Draft Strategy. Enhancing the ‘Movement and Place’ Recommendation 51: That the new ‘Movement and Place’ framework: framework contain a focus on how transport efficiency and good placemaking can be combined when developing The Committee strongly commends TfNSW for the crucial new rail services and stations. In building new mass-transit shift in mindset away from simply evaluating transport capacity, TfNSW must apply this framework consistently, projects based on their capacity to deliver the ‘efficient including during the appraisal of potential infrastructure movement of people and goods’, particularly with regards projects, with appropriate consideration of the impact to roads. The Committee’s submission strongly supports of each project on the liveability of places and centres the ‘Movement and Place’ framework embraced by both in Sydney. TfNSW and the GSC. The Committee’s submission argues

Figure 7. A comparison between the design of Metro Northwest and Southwest

Source: Canterbury-Bankstown Council, 2017. Sydenham to Bankstown Metro: Key issues and opportunities, page 5.

14 Transport and city planning in an era of Some recommendations for Badgerys Creek: shared, autonomous and electric vehicles: The Committee notes that much of the strategy surrounding The Committee’s submission warns that despite the obvious the future of Badgerys Creek was underdeveloped in both benefits of autonomous vehicles (AVs), poor planning the GSC Plan and TfNSW Strategy. As such, the Committee could easily see the unplanned proliferation of AVs result in argues that more work is needed to ensure the airport’s substantially worse congestion. The Committee argues that seamless transition into the NSW transport network. different policy frameworks could either hasten or reverse Recommendation 53: That the NSW Government carry the trend towards a more dense, sustainable city. out a long term strategic review of Badgerys Creek that The Committee argues that automated vehicles should integrates regional scale governance, economic drivers, and complement the public transport network by connecting long term spatial planning. commuters to it, operating largely within the ‘last kilometre’ Recommendation 54: That the NSW Government involve all between people’s homes and their nearest train station or levels of government and stakeholders in the planning of the major public transport hub. The submission suggests that airport prior to major political decisions are locked in. rather than “autonomous cars”, the optimum city-shaping Recommendation 55: That the NSW Government develop approach should be to promote ride-sharing driverless a 30-year Airport Region Plan. vehicles as part of the broader mass-transit system. Recommendation 52: That the NSW Government moves to ensure that the deployment of AVs in Sydney fits the GSC’s overall strategic spatial plan, by pursing an approach to AVs that is not focused on the individual customer of transport services but on the best outcomes for the city.

COMMITTEE FOR SYDNEY 15 The Committee for Sydney Level 27 680 George Street Sydney NSW 2000

sydney.org.au @Committee4syd [email protected] +61 2 9927 6511

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