[This is our first guest post by M. Girvan]
Transport, then density: it is the approach that is needed to help overcome this city’s two most pressing issues. Sydney’s disgraceful record for housing affordability has been a well documented topic over recent years, as has its need for a much improved public transport system. But how often are these two issues discussed in the same argument? The influence of public transport on housing prices cannot be underestimated.
Sydney’s housing prices are especially high in areas that are well connected by public transport. In Strathfield, a suburb sitting on the junction of four suburban rail lines, house prices average $1.3million and apartments $480,000. Travel a couple of kilometres away to Strathfield South, where there are no rail connections, and house prices drop to $760,000 and apartments $410,000 (domain.com.au). A recent study found that Sydneysiders would be happy to pay more for public transport if it was more efficient and the majority supported the idea of major investment in rail throughout the city (Independent Public Inquiry). The people of Sydney want to use public transport, most just can’t afford to live in areas that offer it.
If I live in Drummoyne can I visit a friend in Strathfield? If I work in Parramatta could I possibly live in Sutherland? The answer to both is yes… if I rely solely on owning and running a car or am willing to spend possibly an hour or more on various buses and trains.
We have seen proposal after proposal from the state government falter and fail before construction has even begun. Cost concerns have been a major contributor to these broken promises, but a lack of support has also been a key reason for the downfall of many rail plans. Running a metro through a low or medium density area seems not to be a popular action because of the concerns over profitability.
The government plans to increase density in areas around transport hubs, but how many transport hubs does Sydney really have? In a system where virtually all transport lines run directly into the Central Business District, there is such a minimal amount of overlapping of these lines and as a consequence great pressure is being put on the CBD. This plan to increase density around transport hubs is evidence that new transport corridors do not necessarily have to serve areas of density or growth, they can also create them.
If more transport hubs are created, then surely the demand for housing around these hubs will ease. Creating more hubs does not just involve more transport lines into the city centre. It involves a series of connections between lines to open up more opportunities between the suburbs and promote the growth of Sydney’s secondary centres such as Parramatta, Bankstown, Liverpool, Chatswood and Randwick. This will in turn reduce the pressure from Sydney’s city centre and create jobs closer to home – shorter travelling distances plus a lesser need for a car also reduces living costs.
The Government’s interest in a high speed rail network along Australia’s east coast could be used as a model for better transport within Sydney. One of the benefits of the high speed network would be the connectivity and opportunities opened up to regional centres throughout New South Wales and Victoria, taking pressure off Sydney and Melbourne. Doubters over the value of an east coast high speed rail network – those that wonder “why would I travel by train from Sydney to Brisbane when it’s faster and cheaper to fly?” – need to understand these opportunities that will be opened up to regional cities and towns. Living in Newcastle and working in Sydney (or vice versa) will suddenly be a viable option; the 20,000 residents of Wollongong that travel to Sydney for work each day could finally have a fast and direct commute; and Canberra would be less than an hour from the city. The same principle could be applied to the Sydney Metropolitan Area – connect regional centres, create opportunities, take the pressure and demand off the major centre.
Providing opportunities outside Sydney’s congested Central Business District opens up more attractive options for housing throughout the metropolitan area, reducing the stress on areas that are already highly sought after. The federal and state governments need to create transport that shapes the city, rather than following it. Transport then density, not density then transport.
