Proposed Metro stirs up the Inner West

the proposed CBD Metro from the city to Rozelle is creating ongoing controversy in the Leichhardt Council area, with councillors holding widely different views. The two Labor councillors both maintain strong support for the project, while the Greens, the Liberals and the Independent councillors are opposed.
Locals are worried about the the effects on traffic near the station, and about the nuisance and noise that will be generated by the five year construction program. Leichhardt Mayor Jamie Parker (Greens) said “ A Childcare centre, local businesses and the local neighbourhood centre are all under threat by the proposed Metro, and questions about traffic, the lack of parking and whether such a huge expenditure would be better spent in the north west remain.” He noted that the Metro would carry up to thirty thousand passengers per hour but that buses at a Rozelle terminal could only handle three thousand.
But Cr Darcy Byrne (Labor) said “ I strongly support a metro system for Sydney and the CBD Metro is the first step. The CBD Metro will see fast trains going from Rozelle to Town Hall and Central every 2 – 3 minutes, this will be fantastic for the Rozelle, Balmain and Lilyfield communities.” Cr Lyndal Howlison (Labor) also confirmed her support for a Metro system, pointing out that Sydney’s existing heavy rail structure is creaking at the seams. She noted the serious crowding and difficult access in peak hour at Wynyard or Town Hall as examples. “Sydney has outgrown those stations. This situation must be addressed before more people are brought into the CBD on trains.”
Other councillors do not share this enthusiasm. Cr Gordon Weiss (Liberal) is a representative of the ward that includes Balmain. He also is concerned that the position of the station under the intersection of Balmain and Victoria roads will cause traffic problems. Cr Weiss noted that Compulsory Acquisition Orders are expected for the properties on all four corners of the intersection to provide the superstructure for the station. He said “The project cost is blowing out before they even start work. It is the wrong place to be spending this huge sum of money”, and said that it might not even happen “as the government doesn’t have the money for it and it is hard to imagine another private public consortium after the disasters of the Lane Cove Tunnel and the Cross City Tunnel”. Cr John Stamolis (Independent) also in the Balmain ward agreed. “Public transport to the inner-city certainly needs to be improved but this could be best done by innovative and cost-effective solutions such as a light rail extension, improved ferry and bus services. Terminating a metro service at Rozelle is problematic. Residents have expressed concerns to me about all these issues.”