[SMH] Monorail to be pulled down/Acquired by Government

[Daniel]

Breaking news:

Monorail to be pulled down
Steve Jacobs
March 23, 2012 - 10:10AM

Damage ... Darling Park Station where the impact occurred.

The NSW government has bought the company that owns the light rail and the monorail and has announced it will be pulled down.

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell and Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian made the announcement at at Darling Harbour today.

The light rail network will be extended in its place.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/monorail-to-b ... z1ptI1v8o2

Officila Statement from MTS and Government media release here: http://www.metrotransport.com.au/upload ... norail.pdf

[kypros1992]

So now the NSW government owns the light rail.

Get ready for new signage and TfNSW livery!

[tranzitjim]

Sad news that is.

An elevated mode like the monorail is exactly what a busy city needs.

[swtt]

Well this is a first. One would've thought the Liberals would want to SELL assets, not BUY them! :p At $20m it's a steal. The government probably spends far more than that.

Hopefully it's bought it for the positive (as the press release says: http://www.metrotransport.com.au/upload ... norail.pdf) and not simply to demolish the monorail.

Now they only need to buy the Airport Link company for say, $500k and reduce the access fees at the airports (say to $5 to deter people taking joyrides to the Airport for no reason, and for security) to significantly alleviate congestion on the roads! This will also right the wrong of the previous Liberal government for giving us this exorbitant station access fee!

[CityRail]

Considering the capacity of monorail cars, if they are ever integrated into MyZone ticketing system, it will not have that capacity to carry the extra amount of passengers potentially generated due to such move. Therefore I believe demolishing it is a good idea, yet the Government should consider introducing a new bus route to replace monorail in the meantime.

[Andrew]

yet the Government should consider introducing a new bus route to replace monorail in the meantime.

The bus will have a tought time getting across the bridge there at Darling Harbour.

[boronia]

Why a bus? Most of the DH stops are in walking distance of the CBD. The 443 and tram also cover several stops, perhaps the 443 could be extended to terminate at the Exhibition Centre via Harbourside Shops/Convention Centre. It is a quite "scenic" route for those who don't want to walk.

[Bedford-29]

Well at 24 years old for the monorail line and 25 years old for the monorail trains.It would not be be the first monorail line to be closed and dismantled through old age knowing some monorail lines have closed only after a short period of use.

[jpp42]

There's this article also:

Monorail goes, but look what we get
March 23, 2012 - 11:34AM

OPINION

The NSW government's decision to buy Metro Transport Sydney has excited Sydney residents who want the monorail pulled down, but the government taking ownership of the light rail line may be more significant.

The 1994 contract to establish Sydney's light rail line was one of the state's first, and least elegant, public private partnerships.

Full article: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/monorail-goes ... 1vnxi.html

What isn't discussed is who will continue to operate the light rail - will the current operators (Veolia) keep the contract do you think?

[simonl]

Also the LR covers most/all of its stops in Pyrmont.

[boxythingy]

Regarding the tough time for buses to actually run across pyrmont bridge... What about those Darling Harbour "trains" for the tourists. Could those be somehow be lifted onto to bridge and form a shuttle service between the two sides?

[Fleet Lists]

This will certainly simplify the inclusion of the light rail into the overall ticketing system.

It states that Veolia will keep the contract for the time being. I guess it will be up for renewal/renegotiation at some stage and it will be anyone's guess as to what happens after that.

[abesty]

ABC News 24 report: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8DjnRnx7wl

[Newcastle Flyer]

Well this is a first. One would've thought the Liberals would want to SELL assets, not BUY them! :p At $20m it's a steal. The government probably spends far more than that.

Liberals buying instead selling? I must be dreaming. So if the government are now caretakers of the monorail, shouldn't normal fares government fares apply?

[Fleet Lists]

And I guess we will now see a timetable, if not for public viewing, at least for the 131500 trip finder, etc.

[boxythingy]

Well this is a first. One would've thought the Liberals would want to SELL assets, not BUY them! :p At $20m it's a steal. The government probably spends far more than that.

Liberals buying instead selling? I must be dreaming. So if the government are now caretakers of the monorail, shouldn't normal fares government fares apply?

There does seem to be a trend that Labor has shifted a bit to the right and Liberal to the left to accommodate a wider range of voters. Fares should remain the same for the monorail, otherwise there will be out of control queues.

[Fleet Lists]

Fares wont necessarily stay the same once they are integrated into the overall system. As it is overall usage has already increased considerably since some "other" tickets can now be used on the light rail as I posted in another thread recently.

[SinCity]

Good riddance to the MonoRail. Im glad they will demolish it. It never went anywhere and the only option to travel was in one direction for $5 regardless if it were the full loop or just up to the next station.

It was nothing but a retro touristy gimmick which had fallen into disrepair. I also noticed that the same company which owns Sydney's trams haven't made much attempt in looking after their vehicles as of late. Perhaps they knew this was coming.

Now the focus is to slowly and surely, reinstate and build up our former tram network now that many obstacles have been removed.

Good one Bazza & Gladys!

[AEC Decker]

AEC Decker totally agrees with SinCity, the monorail was mainly used by tourists and went from nowhere to nowhere else and it was an eyesore.

AEC Decker traveled on the monorail when it was new and thought then it was just Bicentennial gimmick.

Will there be State Transit - Sydney Buses AND State Transit - Sydney Trams ?
AEC Decker hopes so, so he can use his Gold Pass on the trams.

[boronia]

Should there be a monorail museum??

Could a few sections of track be relocated, and a couple of the cars preserved to give rides on Sundays?

[Fleet Lists]

I would suggest in Penrith somewhere.

[boxythingy]

Should there be a monorail museum??

Could a few sections of track be relocated, and a couple of the cars preserved to give rides on Sundays?

$5 is expensive enough, what will the cost of a preserved ride be? :S I'd say sell the rolling stock to other operators with compatible systems.

[abesty]

Ten News report:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4cWOrBchj0

[abesty]

Seven News: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Dw_It5C1I
Nine News: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_xBaYnPr5o

[hornetfig]

It states that Veolia will keep the contract for the time being. I guess it will be up for renewal/renegotiation at some stage and it will be anyone's guess as to what happens after that.

Absolutely. One thing you can be sure of is the government will not directly operate the line or the future system. The biggest question in terms of model is whether it will operated on the basis either of government ownership of rolling stock or private ownership of the stock.

Either way is a sensible basis on which to proceed; especially compared to the existing model which could not expand beyond the toy system running now.