Liverpool City Council has launched a campaign to support its innovative transport project, the Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit (FAST) Corridor, and call on Transport for NSW to work more collaboratively with Council to deliver the highest-quality link between Liverpool and the new airport.
"To help achieve Liverpool's goal of becoming Sydney's third CBD, a fast and regular public transport connection to Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is critical," Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said.
"Under the Western Sydney City Deal, the NSW Government has committed to a rapid bus connection between the airport, Western Sydney Aerotropolis and Liverpool's CBD in time for the airport's opening in 2026. We want to ensure Transport for NSW continues to work collaboratively with us on this visionary project to ensure the corridor is designed with global best practice in mind."
The campaign, adopted unanimously by Councillors, encourages the community to provide feedback on early project plans and to sign a petition to back Council's calls for Transport for NSW to work together with Council and the Liverpool community.
"The FAST Corridor includes Council's plans to upgrade Fifteenth Avenue into a high-quality transit corridor, and links with Transport for NSW's plans to upgrade Hoxton Park Road between Joadja Road and Cowpasture Road to include bus-priority corridors," Mayor Waller said.
"Council is concerned, however, with Transport for NSW's recently announced plans for the Hoxton Park Road upgrade to have public transport lanes on the kerb side of the road. International best practice is for high-quality rapid transit corridors to be centre-running. A centre-running corridor can be future-proofed for new technologies such as driverless electric buses and trackless trams and would have less impact on traffic flow for other road users.
"Council has also heard concerns from the community about the impact of Transport for NSW's preferred design on the Dorrigo Avenue entrance and exit, which provides important access to local businesses."
Mayor Waller said the FAST Corridor project was an opportunity to move beyond 'business as usual' to significantly improve public transport and road design in the Liverpool Local Government Area.
"In addition to a regular 30-minute public transport connection to the new airport for Sydney's third CBD, the FAST Corridor reinforces our commitment to active transport, such as cycling and walking," Mayor Waller said.
"The corridor project is also an opportunity to create new, sustainable communities along the route which are sensitive to their bushland and farming landscape, helping to reduce sprawl, improve public transport and preserve the unique character of our growing region.
"I encourage the community to sign our petition calling for Transport for NSW to work more collaboratively with Council to deliver a transit solution which follows global best practice and will benefit the community for generations to come."
Visit www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/FASTpetition for details and to sign the petition by 5pm on Monday 29 June.
