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Matilda

(6,384 posts)
Thu Mar 22, 2012, 09:03 PM Mar 2012

Last stop: Sydney's monorail to be scrapped

The New South Wales Government has announced that it has bought Metro Transport Sydney (MTS), the company that owns the monorail and light rail, in a $19.8 million deal.

It is part of the plan to re-develop the Darling Harbour Convention Centre and precinct.

The Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian says the monorail is in the way and it will be removed as soon as possible.

She says it is not integrated with Sydney's wider public transport network and has never been embraced by the public.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-23/last-stop3a-sydney27s-monorail-to-be-scrapped/3908166


Thank God, Barry O'Farrell has made a good decision!

I've always hated the monorail - I'm sure it was built simply to put money into the pockets of Neville Wran's mates, who sat on boards of companies where he one day expected to have a seat.

It's an abomination, destroying the facades of some beautiful old buildings, going nowhere and achieving nothing useful. It can't come down fast enough as far as I'm concerned.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Last stop: Sydney's monorail to be scrapped (Original Post) Matilda Mar 2012 OP
A monorail?... PoliticAverse Mar 2012 #1
I remember when it was first built. pink Mar 2012 #2
NO!!! Not the monorail! How else will I do pointless laps that end at Darling Harbour? Violet_Crumble Mar 2012 #3
what a big pity.... peakhillfm Mar 2012 #4
It's got more to do with redevelopment in Darling Harbour. Matilda Mar 2012 #5
Wish we knew what he is thinking peakhillfm Mar 2012 #6
If he hadn't had such a huge win, he'd be more dependent on the Nationals' support. Matilda Mar 2012 #7
Hobart warns Tuggeranong in monorail tilt Violet_Crumble Mar 2012 #8

pink

(507 posts)
2. I remember when it was first built.
Sat Mar 24, 2012, 10:28 PM
Mar 2012

There was a lot of scandal around the idea but it was Laurie Brereton's baby, so it went ahead. I'm indifferent to whether they keep it or not. If they're going to tear it down, I wonder if it would be too outrageous an idea to reconstruct it somewhere else. Maybe somewhere in the outer suburbs where public transport hardly exists. Or maybe Bondi Juncion to Bondi Beach where the tourtists would take full advantage.

It seems a shame to scrap it altogether.

Violet_Crumble

(36,140 posts)
3. NO!!! Not the monorail! How else will I do pointless laps that end at Darling Harbour?
Mon Mar 26, 2012, 07:04 AM
Mar 2012

I don't think Barry O'Farrell's thought this through properly and looked at it through the perspective of a tourist visiting Sydney.See, you get to Darling Harbour, you book into yr hotel, then you head for the monorail, purchase an overpriced day ticket, get annoyed coz every monorail that stops is packed with stupid tourists and there's no room to get on, get on, get off at the next stop, spend hours at Paddys Market, get annoyed again at the stupid tourists taking up all the room in the carriages, get off after a few stops and shop till you drop in the city, get back on and get off again at Harbourside, drop the shopping off. Rinse and repeat. It's fun!

RIP, monorail. You provided me with many hours of pointless laps around the city. I'll miss you!

peakhillfm

(79 posts)
4. what a big pity....
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 07:14 PM
Mar 2012

How far would I be wrong in saying that the only reason that Mr.O'Farrell is dismantling the monorail is because the NSW Government is broke and they are having a fire sale.......
I was there when the monorail was being built,I have even ridden on it and sorry BUT I believe that as a tourist attraction it should remain there,BUT just cleaned up and updated,BUT B.O'F dosent want it and well I suppose that the end of it.
The Tasmanian Government has shown interest in it so at least it wont go to waste.
We heard that the Transport Minister has admitted that the 'public transport' in Sydney is crook and that they have alot of work to do to get it up to scratch.
I suggest that the whole ofthe Liberal Government come out to RURAL NSW and see how we live and how we get on with life and survive the best way we can.
This Lib Government will only get one term as B.O'F is onbly interested in metro Sydney and BUGGER the bush.
I actually sent an email to one of his ministers and they didnt even know where Lithgow was located,and they are MP's.Please give me strength.

Matilda

(6,384 posts)
5. It's got more to do with redevelopment in Darling Harbour.
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 07:59 PM
Mar 2012

I don't know what's being planned, but the monorail is in the way, so the government bought out the company that owns it and will pull it down.

I really don't care, because I've always thought it was an eyesore - I hate the way it runs along the facades of some beautiful old buildings. We don't have much of a heritage here, but I think we should preserve what we do have.

peakhillfm

(79 posts)
6. Wish we knew what he is thinking
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 09:23 PM
Mar 2012

Its a pity that he dosen't put as much thought into RURAL NSW as what he does in Metro Sydney.
Interesting question...where did he get the dollars to purchase it,when we are waiting for Dubbo Base hospital to be fixed up and also we are waiting for the Parkes Forbes Hospital to have the soil turned.He can find the dollars to do this,but of course BUGGER the bush.
Our roads out here are a mess,as is infrastructure,and also education is shot as well,BUT good old B.O'F can find the dollars to buy out the monorail.
Where is his priorities??????

Matilda

(6,384 posts)
7. If he hadn't had such a huge win, he'd be more dependent on the Nationals' support.
Tue Mar 27, 2012, 11:58 PM
Mar 2012

But I guess he thinks that for the moment he can do whatever he wants. Just like Campbell Newman.

It may be a different story afte the next election, but there's a few years to go on that.

Violet_Crumble

(36,140 posts)
8. Hobart warns Tuggeranong in monorail tilt
Thu Mar 29, 2012, 07:16 AM
Mar 2012

Canberra is being urged to join the scramble to buy Sydney's cast-off monorail.

But it's already being warned by Hobart to ''back off'' because the Tasmanian capital city got in first.

Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Ron Christie reckons his answer to the NSW government is to ''put [the monorail] on eBay and we can all bid for it''.

''It's not worth anything to them. We're doing them a favour,'' he said.

But both Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell and ACT Light Rail chair Damien Haas have rejected the idea of acquiring the monorail, Mr Haas saying its carriages are too small and like ''sitting in a row of old Kombi vans''.

The Tuggeranong Community Council has formally called on the ACT Government to buy the monorail and erect it in Canberra as a public transport option.



Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/hobart-warns-tuggeranong-in-monorail-tilt-20120328-1vz3a.html#ixzz1qVW7BG2C

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