Western Sydney Airport risks becoming our ‘ghost city‘
Where I say some thing ...
“Western Sydney Airport risks becoming our ‘ghost city’” in the Daily Telegraph. [My full submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry is here]
I say some things:
University of Sydney Transport Professor, David Levinson, argued “while we might expect the WSA and Aerotropolis will eventually be successful, this may take decades”.
“Additional infrastructure investments in the absence of changes in demand will not magically make that happen, but will drain resources from solving real problems.”
The Transport expert said projects that could be “justified well after development begins to materialise in the Aerotropolis area are hard to justify before”.
Airfield construction at WSI is due to be completed in 2024, while terminal construction is due to be completed in 2025, prior to the commencement of major airport testing and commissioning.
“While there is always a chicken-and-egg problem, and some capital may need to be ventured to ensure gains, given the large amount of infrastructure already being built in advance of development, and the uncertainty, the risk of a China-like ghost city remains,” he said.
“Transport and land use investments should be generally concurrent, transport with no development will be unused, and development without sufficient transport will be slow and inconvenient.”
Professor Levinson said the aerotropolis core and surrounding city centres should rely on flexible, fast buses and T-way services in an effort to provide cost-effective transport infrastructure once the airport opens, before long-term planning on future metro and heavy rail services are expanded.
“There is so much uncertainty surrounding the airport,” he said. “There won’t be demand for 24-hour passenger flights when the airport opens.
“The majority of international travellers will still want to fly in and out of Sydney Airport in the east.
“It will be a long time for demand at WSI to catch up, if it does at all.”
Interesting already that international airlines are looking at WSI because without a curfew they can schedule much more efficiently. As an end of line aviation route, Sydney is an expensive destination if you can't rapidly turn around and get out again. The curfew at KS has made it difficult, and Australia has wagged the dog of scheduling to fit flights in. I guess the several billion dollar question is, does a 15-18 per cent fare reduction overcome the reluctance. I am guessing that given 2.5 million people are closer to WSI than KSA, and that parking will be relatively cheaper at KSA, that will drive demand. And with Qantas and Jeststar both proving domestic connections it might yet prove to be an attractive port for many. Not sure they need the Metro, though, it doesn't seem to connect workers to the airport, nor many customers! But Transitways could do so comprehensively for a decade. Like rail stations "in the middle of nowhere", hindsight always proves value. It is just how much hindsight will be required!
Yes. Time will tell. $13B for the airport and $13B for the Metro. Each more expensive than Qantas.