Park Trust Backs Return Of Light Rail To Randwick

By Randwick City Council on May 5, 2011 in News

The Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust has thrown its weight behind the return of light rail to Sydney’s east by joining Randwick Council’s rail transport Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Four of the largest organisations in the eastern suburbs – Randwick City Council, the University of NSW, the Australian Turf Club and the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service – have already signed the MOU.

Signing the MOU commits the organisations to work together to lobby the State Government to prioritise the return of a rail corridor from the Sydney CBD to Randwick City – with Anzac Parade likely to be the key route.

Randwick Mayor Murray Matson welcomed the Centennial Park/Moore Park Trust’s decision to join the MOU.

“Any remaining doubt about the need or the support for the reintroduction of rail into Sydney’s east has been completely buried by the decision of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust to joint our MOU.

“The Trust manages more than 360 hectares of incredibly significant and valuable parklands attracting more than 10 million visitors each year.

“Located within the Moore Park precinct are two of Sydney’s most highly used sporting stadiums, as well as the Entertainment Quarter. These sporting and tourism facilities would benefit greatly from the reintroduction of a light rail system along Anzac Parade,” said the Mayor.

“Anybody who has driven a car or tried to find a seat on a bus in inner Sydney during peak – let alone during a major event – understands that something needs to be done,” Mayor Matson said.

Kim Ellis, Director and Chief Executive of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust said they strongly support the Transport MOU.

“The Trust is very supportive of public transport enhancements that will be of benefit to the broader Moore Park precinct and beyond. We are ready to work with our partner organisations, such as Randwick City Council and our Moore Park precinct partners, to help facilitate these much needed improvements,” Mr Ellis said.

“We applaud Randwick City Council’s initiative in putting this issue to the forefront of the public transport debate in Sydney.”

Mayor Matson said Randwick Council transport studies have found we are going to need a 50 per cent increase in public transport capacity in Randwick City by 2021 to effectively accommodate anticipated population and employment growth.

“The University of NSW, Royal Randwick, Prince of Wales, Royal Hospital for Women and Sydney Children’s Hospital employ more than 13,000 people, deliver 1.2 million health services and teach 46,000 students every year.

“Yet UNSW remains the only Sydney university without a train station.

“The areas surrounding Moore Park and Centennial Park – Randwick, City of Sydney, Woollahra and Waverley – are expected to house a further 60,000 to 80,000 residents over the next 20 years and the current transport options will not cope with that increase in population,” Mayor Matson said.