Central Station Metro an absolute game changer
World class transport that transforms Sydney
At a glance
Anne Sutherland, Director of Urban Design discusses the transformative impact of the Central Station Metro line on Sydney's public transport infrastructure.
Anne Sutherland, Director of Urban Design discusses the transformative impact of the Central Station Metro line on Sydney's public transport infrastructure.
Over the last decade, Transport for NSW’s (TfNSW’s) vision for public transport has evolved from functionally moving people to focusing on the role of transport in city-shaping. As Director of Precincts and Urban Design for 9 years, Anne Sutherland played a key role in foregrounding the value of high-quality design in transport infrastructure projects across Greater Sydney.
Now a Director - Urban Design at GHD Design, Anne speaks proudly of achievements like the Sydney Light Rail. This impressive infrastructure connects Circular Quay in the north via Central Station, extending through Moore Park, the University of NSW, Randwick and Kensington in the east.
“You know that you have achieved world class design excellence, when the Sydney Light Rail is appearing in Hollywood movies.”
She is equally excited about the city’s significant new pedestrian artery connecting people via the Light Rail on George Street through to the Wynyard Walk, upgraded Wynyard Station and Napoleon Place. The pedestrian access extends all the way to Barangaroo’s iconic new ferry terminal and Metro station.
“The previously windswept and steep 15-minute walk along narrow footpaths with numerous pedestrian crossings between George Street and Barangaroo has been transformed into a leisurely 7-minute stroll along a wide, attractive walkway with public art and notable design features.”
The revitalisation of Central Station links the Metro, suburban and country rail, light rail and buses. The transformation of Central Station Precinct includes creating a unified high-quality destination with repurposed heritage buildings, connecting the wider Central Precinct through safe and direct east-west and north-south pedestrian routes. It also provides an integration with emerging urban renewal and commercial areas.
“The introduction of Metro at Central Station, enabling faster direct public transport access across Greater Sydney, is an absolute game changer and will be a key driver for stimulating the growth and success of the wider Central Station Precinct. The vision is to connect the Precinct with the new Tech Central redevelopment and through to Redfern, the University of Sydney and the University of Technology."
We are really building on the innovation agenda to make it a real attraction for Sydney. The fact that Atlassian has chosen to put its headquarters at Central is a major win, which will help to attract key tech future businesses to that area, as well as the people who want to work for them.
This vision aligns with the plan of making the city denser and more vibrant. To achieve this the city needs to have not just jobs, but places to live and places for people to connect that have great character and excitement. That's what this larger transformation of the Central Precinct will bring.
We're trying to make it so it's all walkable by connecting all public transport, providing easy links to anywhere that people need to travel to, whether you are visiting for recreation, to work or to live, without needing a car.
"The rail tracks have always been a barrier for east-west pedestrian movement south of Central, so the longer-term plan is to build over the tracks. The elevated ground plane would include attractive paths through new open spaces and between active fronted buildings. This will connect Ultimo to Prince Alfred Park and Surry Hills, making the whole area permeable."
There is obviously a lot of work to achieve the big picture of putting more housing around the stations along the routes with transit-oriented development, but also it’s common sense that people want to be near these services. With more density around stations, we can hopefully contain the urban sprawl that forces some people to live so far away from their employment and other services that they have no choice but to undertake long and expensive car commutes.
"Housing development around transport nodes gives new options for living closer to work, schools, services and entertainment. It also means that more people will benefit from Sydney’s great rail network. Once we have overlayed the finished Metro network, we will have world class public transport."
Now a Director - Urban Design at GHD Design, Anne speaks proudly of achievements like the Sydney Light Rail. This impressive infrastructure connects Circular Quay in the north via Central Station, extending through Moore Park, the University of NSW, Randwick and Kensington in the east.
“You know that you have achieved world class design excellence, when the Sydney Light Rail is appearing in Hollywood movies.”
She is equally excited about the city’s significant new pedestrian artery connecting people via the Light Rail on George Street through to the Wynyard Walk, upgraded Wynyard Station and Napoleon Place. The pedestrian access extends all the way to Barangaroo’s iconic new ferry terminal and Metro station.
“The previously windswept and steep 15-minute walk along narrow footpaths with numerous pedestrian crossings between George Street and Barangaroo has been transformed into a leisurely 7-minute stroll along a wide, attractive walkway with public art and notable design features.”
The revitalisation of Central Station links the Metro, suburban and country rail, light rail and buses. The transformation of Central Station Precinct includes creating a unified high-quality destination with repurposed heritage buildings, connecting the wider Central Precinct through safe and direct east-west and north-south pedestrian routes. It also provides an integration with emerging urban renewal and commercial areas.
“The introduction of Metro at Central Station, enabling faster direct public transport access across Greater Sydney, is an absolute game changer and will be a key driver for stimulating the growth and success of the wider Central Station Precinct. The vision is to connect the Precinct with the new Tech Central redevelopment and through to Redfern, the University of Sydney and the University of Technology."
We are really building on the innovation agenda to make it a real attraction for Sydney. The fact that Atlassian has chosen to put its headquarters at Central is a major win, which will help to attract key tech future businesses to that area, as well as the people who want to work for them.
This vision aligns with the plan of making the city denser and more vibrant. To achieve this the city needs to have not just jobs, but places to live and places for people to connect that have great character and excitement. That's what this larger transformation of the Central Precinct will bring.
We're trying to make it so it's all walkable by connecting all public transport, providing easy links to anywhere that people need to travel to, whether you are visiting for recreation, to work or to live, without needing a car.
"The rail tracks have always been a barrier for east-west pedestrian movement south of Central, so the longer-term plan is to build over the tracks. The elevated ground plane would include attractive paths through new open spaces and between active fronted buildings. This will connect Ultimo to Prince Alfred Park and Surry Hills, making the whole area permeable."
There is obviously a lot of work to achieve the big picture of putting more housing around the stations along the routes with transit-oriented development, but also it’s common sense that people want to be near these services. With more density around stations, we can hopefully contain the urban sprawl that forces some people to live so far away from their employment and other services that they have no choice but to undertake long and expensive car commutes.
"Housing development around transport nodes gives new options for living closer to work, schools, services and entertainment. It also means that more people will benefit from Sydney’s great rail network. Once we have overlayed the finished Metro network, we will have world class public transport."
The introduction of Metro at Central Station, enabling faster direct public transport access across Greater Sydney, is an absolute game changer