If Barangaroo’s Cutaway will be 24/7 so should Metro: Greens
Planning Minister Paul Scully’s captain call in overriding his own department to declare that Barangaroo’s refurbished Cutaway arts and culture space will be 24/7 will be a nightmare for city residents unless matched with 24/7 metro, said Greens MP and night-time economy spokesperson, Cate Faehrmann.
“If the Metro isn’t running 24 hours, this venue shouldn’t be either,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“We’re effectively inviting thousands of people to spill out between midnight and 4am with no fast, high-capacity public transport to get them home.”
“Without 24-hour metro services, patrons will disperse through nearby residential streets in Millers Point and Barangaroo, increasing noise, ride-share congestion and late-night disturbance.
“This is not anti-vibrancy. It’s about basic planning and common sense. A genuine 24-hour economy must be supported by 24-hour transport.
“The government had again sidelined local residents and ignored expert advice in its rush to champion so-called “vibrancy reforms”.
“Communities raised legitimate concerns about cumulative noise impacts, crowd control and residential amenity. Bureaucrats responded with a sensible midnight cap. The Minister has simply swept that aside.
“This is becoming a pattern – major decisions made from Macquarie Street with little regard for the people who actually have to live with these decisions every day.
“You can’t talk about a world-class night-time economy while shutting the trains and metro just when people need to get home,” said Ms Faehrmann.