Transport in Sydney
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sydney has one of the most complex and extensive transportation systems in Australia. Most transport in Sydney is by car, and there is a network of large freeways, motorways, and roads across Sydney. The most important trunk routes in the urban area form the Metroad system. Sydney is also served by train, bus and ferry networks. Sydney trains are run by CityRail, a corporation of the New South Wales State Government. Trains run as suburban commuter rail services in the outer suburbs, then converge in an underground city loop service in the CBD. In the years following the 2000 Olympics, CityRail's performance declined significantly. Public anger resulted in the introduction of a new timetable, the employment of more drivers and a large infrastructure project, called the Clearways project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2010.[1][2][3]
Sydney has one privately operated light rail line, the Metro Light Rail, running from Central Station to Lilyfield along a former goods train line. There is also a large monorail which runs in a loop around the main shopping district and Darling Harbour. Sydney was formerly served by an extensive tram network, which was progressively closed in the 1950s and 1960s. Most parts of the metropolitan area are served by buses, many of which follow the pre-1961 tram routes. In the city and inner suburbs the state-owned Sydney Buses has a monopoly. In the outer suburbs, service is divided between many private bus companies. Sydney Ferries, another State government-owned organisation, runs numerous commuter and tourist ferry services on Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River.
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[edit] Buses
Sydney Buses operate over 300 routes, mainly in the eastern half of the city, where they have a near-monopoly. To the south and west, most routes are operated by private bus companies. Routes are numbered following a regional pattern, so that the 100s serve the northern beaches, the 200s the north shore, the 300s the eastern suburbs, the 400s the inner west and south to Rockdale and Miranda and the 500s the west, including Ryde and Parramatta. Limited stops and express services replace the first digit of the route number with an L, E or X. School special services use numbers beginning with 6.
Adult fares on normal routes range from $1.70 to $5.40, depending on the length of the journey. Discounts can be obtained by means of prepaid TravelTen tickets, valid for ten journeys, or TravelPasses, which allow unlimited travel within a specified area for a week, quarter or year. Most TravelPasses also include travel on Sydney Ferries and CityRail trains.
[edit] Trains
Sydney's suburban train service consisting of eleven railway lines is operated by CityRail. Sydney does not have a separate metro system, but the suburban lines run underground where they converge in the city centre, and on the Eastern Suburbs and Airport lines. On most lines, there are two to four trains an hour at off-peak times. Fares are calculated on the basis of distance travelled.
There are no train services in most of Western Sydney, the Northern Beaches, or Eastern Suburbs. Many new lines have been suggested, and a new Epping to Chatswood line is currently under construction. Work is also underway on the Clearways Project, aiming to "untangle" the network and reduce the interdependence of the separate lines.
CityRail interurban trains to the Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Newcastle leave from the network's hub, Central railway station. This station is also the terminus for CountryLink trains to country New South Wales, Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as the Indian Pacific to Perth.
[edit] Light Rail and Monorail
Sydney's tram network was replaced by buses in the 1950s and 60s, and for many years the only light rail in Sydney was at the Sydney Tramway Museum at Loftus. However, in 1997 the Metro Light Rail opened, and now operates one route from Central to Lilyfield in Sydney's Inner West. The Sydney Monorail was built for the 1988 Bicentennary celebrations. It runs on a loop through the central business district and Darling Harbour, linking many tourist attractions. Both Metro Light Rail and the Monorail are operated by Connex.
[edit] Taxis
Over 6,000 taxis operate in Sydney. A 3-km trip from Circular Quay to the eastern suburbs would cost around AUD$12. Taxi ranks are common in the CBD area, usually found in places such as outside large hotels, near bus stations and railway stations.
[edit] Ferries
Sydney Ferries, another State government-owned organisation, runs numerous commuter and tourist ferry services on Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River. As Sydney is based around its Harbour, ferries are an important mode of commuter transport. Sydney Ferries operates on nine lines of route, with approximately 14,000,000 passengers per year.[4] Sydney Ferries operates from Circular Quay Ferry Terminal, a major transport hub in Sydney's central business district, with popular routes including ferries and Jet Cats (high speed catamarans) to the beachside suburb of Manly and ferries to Taronga Zoo, a major tourist attraction. Sydney Ferries also operates sightseeing cruises for tourists.
[edit] Airports
Kingsford Smith International Airport, located in the suburb of Mascot, is Sydney's main airport, and the oldest continuously operating commercial airport in the world. The smaller Bankstown Airport mainly serves private and general aviation. There are light aviation airfields at Hoxton Park and Camden. RAAF Base Richmond lies to the north-west of the city. The question of whether Sydney needs a second international airport has raised much controversy. A 2003 study found that Kingsford Smith can manage as Sydney's sole international airport for 20 years with a significant increase in airport traffic predicted. The resulting expansion of the airport will have a substantial impact on the community, including additional aircraft noise affecting residents. Land has been acquired at Badgerys Creek for a second airport and alternative sites have been mooted.
[edit] References
- ^ CityRail (2002). Rail Clearways Plan
- ^ Kerr, J. and A. Smith. July 22 2004. Panic stations over CityRail driver exodus. Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Kerr, J. December 4 2004. Terminal dilemma. Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Sydney Ferries homepage
