s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com · North Ryde Station Precinct Project - Transport Management and Accessibility Plan PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF ADP-1207-TRA-3032 TMAP-RevC Page i Contents

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Transport for NSW

North Ryde Station Precinct Project

Transport Management and Accessibility Plan 22 November 2012

North Ryde Station Precinct Project - Transport Management and Accessibility Plan

PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF ADP-1207-TRA-3032 TMAP-RevC Page i

Contents Page number

Glossary vii

Executive summary xi

1. Introduction 1

1.1 North Ryde Station Precinct 1

1.2 Surrounding area 3

1.3 TMAP structure 4

1.4 State Significant Site Study requirements 5

2. Transit-oriented development 7

2.1 Transit Oriented Development design principles 7

2.2 The challenge 8

2.3 Sustainability targets 8

2.4 Achieving the principles 9

3. The project 13

3.1 Development type 13

3.2 Site descriptions 14

3.3 Access arrangements 14

3.4 Pedestrian and cycle facilities 15

3.5 Staging 17

3.6 Proposed rezoning 19

3.7 Development Control Plan 19

3.8 Access requirements to local trip generating activities 20

4. Existing conditions 21

4.1 Travel behaviour 21

4.2 Public transport 28

4.2.1 Rail 28 4.2.2 Bus 29 4.2.3 Bus priority 33

4.3 Pedestrian network 35

4.4 Cycle network 36

4.5 Road network 37

4.6 Traffic volumes 41


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Contents (Continued)

Page number

4.7 Intersection performance 45

4.8 Traffic conditions 47

4.9 Parking 48

4.10 Summary of transport network issues 49

5. Strategic context 51

5.1 State planning context 51

5.2 Local planning and strategies 56

5.3 Strategic assessment 64

5.3.1 Local site constraints 64 5.3.2 Network improvement opportunities 65

5.4 Stakeholder consultation 65

6. Transport analysis and design 67

6.1 Trip generation 67

6.2 Internal street hierarchy 74

6.3 Street design 77

6.4 Access intersections 80

6.4.1 Access intersection configuration 82 6.5 Internal intersections 87

7. Public transport, pedestrians and cyclists 91

7.1 Pedestrian access 91

7.1.1 Access requirements 91 7.1.2 Proposed network improvements 92 7.1.3 Pedestrian crossing locations and shared zones 95 7.1.4 Pedestrian bridge 97 7.1.5 Pedestrian connections to areas south of Epping Road 99

7.2 Cycle network 100

7.3 Access to public transport 100

7.3.1 Rail access 100 7.3.2 Bus access 102

7.4 Public transport impact 106

7.4.1 Train patronage 106 7.4.2 Bus patronage 106 7.4.3 Bus travel time 107 7.4.4 Extension of bus services 108


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Page number

8. Parking 109

8.1 Off-street parking 109

8.2 On-street parking 112

8.3 Car share 114

8.4 Bicycle parking 114

9. Traffic impact assessment 117

9.1 Traffic modelling 117

9.1.1 Model development for current conditions 118 9.2 Proposed road upgrades 124

9.3 Existing conditions with the Project 128

9.4 Future conditions without the Project (do nothing) 129

9.5 Future conditions with the Project and upgrades 131

9.6 Road network options 135

9.6.1 Extension of Road 38 from Delhi Road to Epping Road 135 9.6.2 Permeable road network 137

10. Travel plan 139

10.1 Cycling facilities 141

10.2 Public transport 141

10.3 Carpooling 143

10.4 Car share 143

11. Transport management and accessibility plan 145

11.1 Identify improvements to service levels for rail and bus 147

11.2 Improve the accessibility of North Ryde Station 150

11.3 Improving facilities for bus users 153

11.4 Improve regional cycling and pedestrian connections 154

11.5 Providing and promoting alternatives to car use/ownership 157

11.6 Boosting access to recreational/leisure activities 159

11.7 Road network upgrades to reduce congestion 160

11.8 Funding and delivery 161

11.9 Timing 161

12. Summary 163


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List of tables Page number

Table ES.1 Proposed North Ryde Station Precinct vehicle access locations xii Table ES.2 Mode share of trips (all purposes, all sites) for the Project xiii Table ES.3 Proposed road upgrades xiv Table ES.4 Summary of recommended transport planning measures xv Table 1.1 North Ryde Station Precinct site details 1 Table 1.2 State Significant Site Study requirements 5 Table 3.1 Potential site land uses 13 Table 3.2 Proposed North Ryde Station Precinct vehicle access locations 15 Table 3.3 Stage 1 transport elements 17 Table 4.1 Existing trip purpose percentages for Ryde Council area 22 Table 4.2 AM peak period mode split examples for trips from surrounding urban centres and

residential areas 22 Table 4.3 AM peak period mode split examples for trips to surrounding urban centres and

residential areas 24 Table 4.4 Car ownership in Ryde LGA 25 Table 4.5 Destination LGA for commute trips for residents of the Project 25 Table 4.6 Origin LGA of commute trips for employees coming to the Project 28 Table 4.7 Current train services at North Ryde Station 28 Table 4.8 Daily passenger movements at North Ryde Station 28 Table 4.9 STA and Hillsbus services operating via North Ryde 31 Table 4.10 Bus stops and bus destinations 33 Table 4.11 Description of key roads in the local network 37 Table 4.12 Description of key roads in the local network 41 Table 4.13 Historic traffic count data 44 Table 4.14 Existing situation intersection performance 46 Table 4.15 Travel time survey 48 Table 5.1 Macquarie Park TMAP Package of measures 54 Table 6.1 Trip numbers (all modes) by site and time period for the Project 69 Table 6.2 Assumed directional split for peak hour trips 69 Table 6.3 Composition of residential trips by journey purpose 70 Table 6.4 Mode share of non-residential trips by land use and journey purpose 71 Table 6.5 Mode share of residential trips by parking rate and journey purpose 71 Table 6.6 Mode share of trips (all purposes, all sites) for the Project 72 Table 6.7 Total trips generated from each site by mode and time of day 73 Table 6.8 Distribution of commuter trips 74 Table 6.9 Indicative street cross-sections 78 Table 6.10 Potential site accesses 81 Table 7.1 Bus passengers generated by The Project by direction and corridor 107 Table 8.1 Parking controls at various centres 109 Table 8.2 Proposed maximum off-street car parking rates and numbers 111 Table 8.3 Proposed on-street parking allocation 113 Table 8.4 Proposed minimum bicycle rates and numbers 115 Table 9.1 2011 2 hour overall intersection level of service 120 Table 9.2 Delay and Level of Service for existing conditions 123 Table 9.3 Proposed list of future road upgrades 125 Table 9.4 Delay and Level of Service for existing conditions with the Project 128 Table 9.5 Delay and Level of Service for 2031 future base conditions 131 Table 9.6 Delay and Level of Service for 2031 future with the Project (LinSig model) 132


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Table 10.1 Average Household TravelSmart mode split change 139 Table 10.2 Riding to North Ryde from various suburbs 141 Table 10.3 Travel times from major centres to North Ryde 141 Table 11.1 Summary of recommended strategic transport planning measures 145 Table 11.2 Summary of recommended project-related transport measures 146 Table 11.3 Summary of recommended local transport measures 147 Table 11.4 Car share spaces 157 Table 11.5 Proposed road upgrades and lead agency 161 Table 12.1 Summary of recommended TMAP transport measures 165

List of figures Page number

Figure 1.1 North Ryde Station Precinct sites 2 Figure 1.2 Location map 3 Figure 3.1 Project sites and accesses 16 Figure 3.2 Indicative staging plan 18 Figure 4.1 BTS travel zones used to compare residential and employment mode share 23 Figure 4.2 Mode of travel by trip purpose for Sydney GMA 24 Figure 4.3 Direction of travel from the North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites 26 Figure 4.4 Direction of travel to the North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites 27 Figure 4.5 STA bus services operating through North Ryde 29 Figure 4.6 Hillsbus services operating along Epping Road in North Ryde 30 Figure 4.7 Train stations and bus stops 32 Figure 4.8 Extension of bus lane and left-turn lane on Epping Road at Delhi Road 34 Figure 4.9 Pedestrian and cycle network 36 Figure 4.10 Road network and hierarchy 38 Figure 4.11 Speed limits 39 Figure 4.12 M2 Motorway widening project 40 Figure 4.13 Proposed Lane Cove Road eastbound on-ramp and third lane 40 Figure 4.14 2011 AM peak hour traffic volumes (total vehicles) 42 Figure 4.15 2011 PM peak hour traffic volumes (total vehicles) 43 Figure 4.16 Location of intersections and method of control 45 Figure 5.1 Transport improvements identified in the Draft NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan

(2012) 52 Figure 5.2 Structure plan for Macquarie Park 57 Figure 5.3 Proposed bicycle network for the City of Ryde 60 Figure 5.4 Macquarie Park Pedestrian Structure Plan 61 Figure 6.1 Forecast AADT traffic on internal roads (full development) 75 Figure 6.2 Proposed internal road hierarchy 76 Figure 6.3 Street section locations 77 Figure 6.4 Proposed layout of intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road 83 Figure 6.5 Proposed layout of intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 84 Figure 6.6 Proposed layout of intersection of Road 38 and Road 18 85 Figure 6.7 Proposed deceleration lane into OSL Site 86 Figure 6.8 M2 Site internal road network 87 Figure 6.9 Intersection of Loop Street and South Street 88


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Figure 6.10 Station Site North and South internal street layout 89 Figure 7.1 Lane Cove National Park links 94 Figure 7.2 Proposed pedestrian and cycle network 95 Figure 7.3 Proposed pedestrian crossings and shared zones 96 Figure 7.4 Delhi Road and M2 Motorway pedestrian bridge 97 Figure 7.5 Delhi Road pedestrian bridge cross section 98 Figure 7.6 Shared pedestrian and cyclist lanes on Falcon Street bridge 98 Figure 7.7 Train station walk catchments 101 Figure 7.8 Bus stop walk catchments 103 Figure 7.9 Proposed relocation of Epping Road bus stop 104 Figure 7.10 Proposed relocation of Delhi Road bus stop 105 Figure 9.1 Traffic modelling study area 119 Figure 9.2 Macquarie Park Corridor Paramics Model boundary 121 Figure 9.3 Critical queue length locations 134 Figure 10.1 Epping Station area map 142 Figure 10.2 Bus routes servicing Epping Station 143 Figure 11.1 Potential bus routes through the M2 Site and Station Sites 149 Figure 11.1 Measures to improve accessibility to North Ryde Station 150 Figure 11.2 Macquarie Park Corridor active transport spine 155

List of photographs

Page number

Photo 4.1 Epping Road pedestrian bridge 35 Photo 11.1 Existing footpaths on the northern and southern of Waterloo Road 156

Appendices Appendix A Level of service criteria Appendix B LinSig model development and calibration report Appendix C Paramics model development and calibration report Appendix D Paramics model results Appendix E Future traffic volumes with and without the Project Appendix F LinSig model results Appendix G Fruin level of service Appendix H Sample travel guide Appendix I Road upgrade concept sketches


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Glossary

AADT Average Annual Daily Traffic – a measure of the typical traffic volume on a road, expressed either as a number of vehicles per day or axle pairs per day

ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics

AMCORD Australian Model Code for Residential Development

BTS Bureau of Transport Statistics (formerly Transport Data Centre), a department within Transport NSW

CBD Central Business District

Clause 8 Notification Notice issued by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure confirming the status of a State Significant Site.

CoR City of Ryde Council

DCP Development Control Plan

DGR Director-General (of Planning)'s Requirements for the State Significant Site Application and State Significant Development Application. Note that two separate sets of requirements for the SSSS and SSDA have been issued by the DP&I in consultation with Council & agencies.

DoS degree of saturation (see Appendix A)

Ecologically Sustainable Development Ecologically sustainable development requires the effective integration of economic and environmental considerations in decision-making. It can be achieved by implementing the following principles and programs:

the precautionary principle inter-generational equity conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms.

ECRL Epping to Chatswood Rail Line

EDD Extended Design Domain

FSR Floor space ratio

GMA Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area

Goodman Goodman Property Group – owners of one of the development sites

HTS Household Travel Survey


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ILP Indicative Layout Plan - Identifies the proposed superlots, public domain, road and infrastructure layout, zones, heights and FSRs for the Project.

JTW Journey to Work – data from the ABS Census

LEP Local Environment Plan

LGA Local Government Area

LoS Level of service (see Appendix A)

Macquarie Park Corridor A predominantly commercial area that lies between the M2 Motorway and Epping Road, bound by Macquarie University in the north and North Ryde Station in the south.

Mode share Method of travel described as a percentage

NRSPP North Ryde Station Precinct Project

NSW New South Wales

NWRL North West Rail Link

OSL Office of Strategic Land

PB Parsons Brinckerhoff

PEA Preliminary Environmental Assessment

Rezoning Study The rezoning study seeks approval for a site specific planning regime for the North Ryde Station Precinct in the form of an amendment to the Ryde Local Environmental Plan (LEP)

riparian corridor The interface area between the land and a river or stream

RMS Roads and Maritime Services (formerly known as the Roads and Traffic Authority)

Road 38 Proposed road along the eastern boundary of the site connecting the North Ryde Station Site – Northern (Transport NSW owned) and Southern (Goodman Limited owned land). The southern end of the road will be built over if Goodman’s currently approved commercial DA scheme proceeds.

RTA Roads and Traffic Authority (now known as Roads and Maritime Services)

SIDRA Intersection modelling software

Spine Road Proposed main road through the M2 Site connecting to Wicks Road

SSD stopping sight distance


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SSDA State Significant Development Application - Applies to the subdivision, public domain and infrastructure works associated with the NRSPP under the SRD SEPP. An EIS is required to accompany the SSDA.

SSSS State Significant Site Study (Rezoning Study) - Prepared in relation to urban structure, land uses and built form including land use zoning, FSR and height which will be assessed by the D&PI.

State Environmental Planning Policy (State & Regional Development) 2011

The new assessment regime established following amendments to the EP&A Act and repeal of Part 3A. The NRSPP is included in Schedule 2 of the SRD SEPP and is classified as State Significant Development for the purposes of subdivision, public domain and infrastructure works.

TfNSW Transport for New South Wales

The Project The North Ryde Station Precinct Project - Rezoning investigation of approximately 14 hectares of land surrounding the North Ryde Station to support a T ransit Oriented Development comprising residential, commercial, retail and associated infrastructure and facilities.

TMAP Transport Management and Accessibility Plan

TOD Transit-oriented development – A planning concept that promotes high quality, medium to high density mixed use development within a comfortable ten minute walk of established or planned rail and bus stations (a radius of about 800 m).

VKT Vehicle kilometres of travel

vph Vehicles per hour

WTP Workplace Travel Plan


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Executive summary

This Transport Management and Accessibility Plan (TMAP) has been prepared to support the Rezoning Study for the North Ryde Station Precinct and to provide advice to the NSW Government on a range of transport measures that could be implemented to support the growth proposed under the Rezoning Study.

The Project

The Project is a mixed land use transit-oriented development (TOD) comprising five sites located in North Ryde around the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road. The way in which the proposed zones, maximum heights and floor space ratio's together with draft Development Control Plan (DCP) could be applied to the site is shown in an indicative layout plan (ILP) (refer to Section 1 of the DCP). The ILP is a demonstration of how the proposed controls could be applied to the site and represents one development scenario. Based on the indicative layout plan it is estimated that the following uses could be provided on the site:

251,060 m2 residential gross floor area (allowing for approximately 2,564 residential dwellings and 125 student accommodation dwellings)

85,625 m2 commercial gross floor area (including potential for 125 serviced apartments)

6,100 m2 retail floor area (which could include a small supermarket)

a community centre.

As demonstrated by the ILP, the proposed zones and draft DCP have been developed to create liveable and active communities with a high degree of amenity including open space and solar access. It also aims to provide a mix of housing near existing employment lands and public transport links.

Public transport

The Project is planned around making good use of its position adjacent to North Ryde Station and Epping Road bus services. Rail projects such as the North West Rail Link (NWRL) will open up new areas of the metropolitan area for convenient rail travel, allowing people who would currently drive to switch modes to public transport. The Project would improve the accessibility of North Ryde Station for people inside the Project, as well as people from surrounding areas, such as Riverside Corporate Park and the residential areas of North Ryde south of Epping Road.

Walking and cycling

Walking and cycling facilities have been installed by City of Ryde Council (CoR) and NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS). Despite this investment in existing infrastructure, the arterial road network continues to act as a barrier to many walk and cycle trips. The Project includes new facilities for walking and cycling, including a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway. This bridge will link the two largest parts of the development, and will also improve the accessibility of North Ryde Station and connect to other facilities, enabling a continuous pedestrian and cycling corridor to exist from Macquarie University to the Riverside Corporate Park. The need for improved connections for pedestrians from south of Epping Road to the station will be investigated further at a later stage however the TMAP recommends a possible future pedestrian and cycle bridge over Epping Road connecting the Goodman site with Blenheim Road to the south.


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Access to the road network

The proposed access locations have been assessed based on the existing external road hierarchy, and their impact on surrounding junctions and road safety. The proposed access locations are detailed in Table ES.1.

Table ES.1 Proposed North Ryde Station Precinct vehicle access locations

Access Configuration

M2 Site

Waterloo Road and Wicks Road Traffic signals with pedestrian crossings

Epping Road Left-in only with deceleration lane

M2 Motorway on-ramp Emergency access at site of current construction access – gates kept closed at other times

North Ryde Station Site North and South

Delhi Road and Road 38 Connect to existing traffic signals

Road 38 and Road 18 Give-way sign controlled intersection

Road 38 and Lucknow Road Connection of two roads

Office of Strategic Land (OSL) Site

Epping Road Left-in/left-out Left-in/left-out with separated entry and exit

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) Site

Epping Road Left-in/left-out Left-in/left-out driveway with separated entry and exit

An opportunity exists to connect Road 38 to Rivett Road via a future road link, subject to further discussions with the owners of the Riverside Corporate Park.

Road network capacity

Observations and traffic modelling have confirmed that the existing road network is operating close to capacity, with long delays and queues. Lane Cove Road, Epping Road and Delhi Road all experience peak period congestion.

Future growth

The Macquarie Park Specialised Centre is planned to accommodate an additional 20,000 employees by 2036 as well as large increases in staff, students and additional employees at Macquarie University. Future plans for Macquarie Park identify large changes in mode share for new and existing employees. However, enticing existing employees out of their car when 85% are provided with parking will be a challenge.

Growth in arterial road traffic is expected to increase at a rate of around 1–2% per annum. It is likely that the forecast growth in through traffic and the full future growth in Macquarie Park traffic will not be able to be accommodated on the road network. Mode change, peak spreading, through traffic diversion and trip suppression may all occur due to congestion on the road network.


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Mode share

The Project is planned to achieve a mode share that reflects its TOD qualities, minimises its impact on the congested road network and takes advantage of the other transport opportunities available. Different mode share targets have been developed for employees, residents and retail visitors. The overall mode share varies by time of day, as summarised in Table ES.2.

Table ES.2 Mode share of trips (all purposes, all sites) for the Project

Mode Daily AM peak hour PM peak hour

Vehicle driver 32% 30% 28%

Vehicle passenger 12% 9% 9%

Train 17% 24% 23%

Bus 11% 14% 13%

Walk 24% 20% 24%

Cycle 3% 3% 3%

Total 100% 100% 100%

Restricted parking

To reduce the reliance on private vehicle use from the Project, parking rates have been proposed which are lower than those provided in the current Ryde Local Environment Plan (LEP) and Ryde Development Control Plan (DCP). This has been undertaken to encourage more trips to be made using public transport and active transport. For those who are not provided with a car space, a car share scheme serving residents and businesses within the project would give them access to a vehicle when it is the most appropriate means of transport. On-street parking has been time limited and allocated for visitors and people with special needs. Due to the congestion on the road network and the range of other travel options for accessing North Ryde Station, it was determined that commuter parking would not be appropriate for the Station Sites.

Consultation

During the process of developing the Project, consultation has been undertaken with RMS, CoR, RailCorp and State Transit Authority. Issues raised by stakeholders are addressed in this TMAP report.

Road upgrades

Traffic models have been produced to allow the traffic impacts of the Project to be assessed. Recommendations have been made in this TMAP for road upgrades to enable access to the Project sites, as outlined in Table ES.1. It is noted that the recommendations of the TMAP provide advice to the NSW Government on a range of transport measures that could be implemented to support the growth proposed under the Rezoning Study. Copies of the traffic models used will be provided to RMS and CoR for further assessment.

The analysis has concluded that increased delays are likely on the road network if the future growth projections are realised, with or without the Project. Road upgrades are recommended to address this congestion and delay to enable the movement of vehicles into and out of the North Ryde Station Precinct sites. As the road network is already at capacity during the morning and afternoon peaks and the traffic from the development represents only a small percentage of the total traffic on the network, funding contributions will be required from a number of sources to deliver the road upgrades (yet to be agreed). This may involve contributions from Transport for NSW and other land developers. The road upgrades


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shown in Table ES.3 are recommended. While these improvements will accommodate development of the Precinct, wider congestion issues associated with the Macquarie Park Corridor will remain and continue to affect the Project sites. These issues will need to be addressed as part of a broader strategic review of the traffic and transport issues for the entire Macquarie Park Corridor.

Table ES.3 Proposed road upgrades

Item Road upgrade Responsible for undertaking works

1

Widen Delhi Road eastbound from M2 Motorway to east of Julius Avenue (eastern intersection), including works at:

a) Intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 b) Intersection of Delhi Road and M2 Motorway Ramps c) Intersection of Delhi Road, Julius Avenue and Plassey Road.

RMS

2 Add an additional left-turn bay from Pittwater Road to Epping Road. RMS

3 Install additional lanes on Wicks Road at Epping Road. RMS

4 Install traffic signals at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road. NRSPP Project

5 Provide additional capacity on Waterloo Road at Lane Cove Road. RMS

6 Redesign on-ramp from Rivett Street/Lucknow Road intersection inside Riverside Corporate Park to Epping Road.

Riverside Corporate Park

Funding

A Growth Infrastructure Plan will be prepared in consultation with relevant agencies to develop and confirm the scope of transport upgrades required to support the development of the site.

Package of mitigation measures

To address the transport impacts of the Project, to achieve the mode share targets and to promote its TOD qualities, a package of 23 mitigation measures are proposed, as listed in Table ES.4. The 23 measures identified have been classified as strategic transport measure, project specific measures and local measures. Timeframes and delivery mechanisms for the recommended strategic and local transport planning measures would need to be determined by the relevant agencies.


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Table ES.4 Summary of recommended transport planning measures

Measure

Strategic transport planning measures

S.1 Connect new rail services to the Epping to Chatswood Rail Line to expand the direct service rail catchment

S.2 Increase rail service frequency to cater for future growth in demand from Macquarie University students and employment, Macquarie Park employment and North Ryde employment and residents

S.3 Review bus service coverage and match frequency to demand

S.4 Investigate options for extending bus route into the M2 Site

S.5 Investigate opportunities to improve pedestrian and bicycle access from the southern side of Epping Road at Pittwater Road to North Ryde Station

S.6 New pedestrian and cycle path for future connection from Morshead Street to Epping Road/Delhi Road

S.7 Intersection and road upgrades to mitigate traffic impact

Project-related transport measures

P.1 Construct pedestrian bridge from M2 Site to Station Sites

P.2 Provide passenger set-down/pick up and cycle parking

P.3 New bus shelter and facilities at Epping Road inbound stop between Wicks and Delhi Roads

P.4 New bus facilities at Epping Road outbound stop at Delhi Road

P.5 Relocate bus stop and facilities at Delhi Road eastbound stop at Road 38

P.6 Completion of Macquarie University–Macquarie Park North Ryde active transport spine

P.7 Waterloo Road (northern side) shared pedestrian and cycle path

P.8 Implement car share schemes

P.9 Increase high profile bicycle parking at retail nodes and community facilities

P.10 Provide new owners with a transport package including information and discount

P.11 Install wayfinding and directional signage throughout the development and at site entry points

P.12 Walk/cycle trail through Bundara Reserve from Delhi Road to Epping Road

Local Transport measures

L.1 New pedestrian and cycle connection to Riverside Corporate Park

L.2 Implement on-street parking scheme to minimise/eliminate long-term parking

L.3 Review the use of paid and timed on-street parking

L.4 Fund walk/cycle trail from Wicks Road to Lane Cove National Park

It is proposed that travel plans would be developed to provide personalised travel information that highlights the diversity of transport options on offer. The Development Control Plan (DCP) for the Precinct will require that Work Travel Plans (WTP) and Travel Access Guides (TAG) be produced by the developers and businesses.


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1. Introduction This report constitutes a Transport Management and Access Plan (TMAP) in support of an application for the rezoning of lands known as the North Ryde Station Precinct (NRSPP) (the Project). The purpose of the report is to provide advice to the NSW Government on a range of transport measures that could be implemented to support the growth proposed under the rezoning proposal.

The Rezoning Study (the Study) has been prepared to facilitate the future development of the precinct for a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) that aims to encourage patronage of North Ryde Station and other nearby public transport systems and improve connectivity in the local area.

1.1 North Ryde Station Precinct

The subject lands, referred to as the North Ryde Station Precinct are located within the Macquarie Park Corridor (MPC), a predominantly commercial area that lies between the M2 Motorway and Epping Road, North Ryde.

The Precinct is situated within the City of Ryde (Council) Local Government Area (LGA), at the southern end of the MPC. The North Ryde Station Precinct comprises a total land area of 13.99 ha and is divided by the M2 Motorway, Epping Road and Delhi Road. The Precinct comprises five separate but linked parcels of land known as:

M2 Site (owned by TfNSW)

Station Site North (owned by TfNSW)

Station Site South (owned by Goodman Property Group)

OSL Site (owned by OSL)

RMS Site (owned by RMS).

The sites surround North Ryde Station, located on the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link (ECRL), which is an underground rail link connecting the growing Macquarie Park area to the Metropolitan CityRail network. A transit-oriented development (TOD) is proposed to encourage station usage and improve local station connectivity within sites with high redevelopment potential.

Details of each site are provided in Table 1.1 and an aerial photograph showing their location is provided in Figure 1.1.

Table 1.1 North Ryde Station Precinct site details

Site name Ownership Site area (ha) Current use

M2 Site (27 Epping Road) TfNSW 9.16 Construction worksite for M2 Motorway widening

Station Site North TfNSW 1.3 Leighton Contractors site offices for M2 widening

Station Site South Goodman 1.76 Vacant

OSL Site OSL 1.48 Tennis courts and clubhouse

RMS Site RMS 0.27 Houses, bushland

Total 13.99


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Source: Cox Richardson Architects: Indicative Layout Plan Report Draft November 2012 Figure 1.1 North Ryde Station Precinct sites



1.2 Surrounding area

The North Ryde Station Precinct sites are located at the eastern end of the MPC, a specialised research and business centre within Sydney’s ‘Global arc’ economic corridor. They are clustered around North Ryde Station and the nearby intersections of Delhi Road with Epping Road and the M2 Motorway, approximately 13.5-kilometres north-west of the Sydney CBD. Access to the sites is gained from several roads. The sites, the MPC boundary and the surrounding area are shown in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2 Location map



1.3 TMAP structure

This TMAP outlines the travel requirements of the Project sites by road, public transport, walking and cycling. It discusses the TOD principles of the Project in relation to the access requirements of the different modes of transport.

The objective of this TMAP is to:

adopt and recommend the implementation of TOD principles to maximise the use of public transport, walking and cycling

manage the transport impacts of the North Ryde Station Precinct Project on surrounding sites and transport networks

help reduce reliance on the private car

address the State Significant Site Study (SSSS) requirements for the Project (issued by the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure).

This report is structured as follows:

Section 2 outlines the TOD principles used in the development of the project.

Section 3 details the proposed development.

Section 4 presents information on existing transport conditions, including:

existing travel behaviour

current levels and details of public transport services

road network characteristics, including a description of the surrounding road network, existing traffic volumes, local intersection performance and a description of how the road network operates

pedestrian and cycle networks and a description of the issues experienced

parking supply and demand

a summary of the main issues.

Section 5 contains:

a review of the relevant State and local government policies, plans and strategies

a strategic assessment of the transport issues forecast for the Macquarie Park Specialised Centre.

Section 6 analyses the trip generation of the proposed development and provides information on accesses and street design.

Section 7 assesses the project in terms of its provision for and impact on public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.



Section 8 provides information on aspects of the project related to parking, including the on-street and off-street provisions, bicycle parking and car share.

Section 9 assesses the impact of the Project on the surrounding road network.

Section 10 provides an outline of the workplace travel plan and transport access guides, outlines the measures proposed to mitigate the impacts of the development, and provides information on their delivery.

Section 11 presents the conclusions of the assessment and lists the recommendations.

1.4 State Significant Site Study requirements

The TMAP has been developed in consideration of the SSSS requirements for the North Ryde Station Precinct. The manner in which each of the study requirements is addressed relating to traffic and transport is outlined below.

Table 1.2 State Significant Site Study requirements

Requirement Reference

1. Prepare a Traffic Management and Accessibility Plan (TMAP) in accordance with the Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036, the NSW 2021, the NSW Planning Guidelines for Walking and Cycling, Ryde Bicycle Strategy and Master Plan 2007,the Integrating Land Use and Transport Policy package and the Roads and Traffic Authority (now RMS) Guide to Traffic Generating Developments including:

a) estimates of the total trips generated by the proposal and measures to manage travel demand, increase the use of public and non-car transport modes, and assist in achieving the objectives and targets set out in the NSW 2021;

Section 6.1

b) an analysis of public transport provision and cycling connections within the vicinity of the proposed site and address the potential for improving accessibility to and from the site and connections to the wider region via sustainable transport modes;

Sections 7.1, and 7.3

c) an analysis of the wider Macquarie Park area, having consideration of the Macquarie Park Traffic Study, the Macquarie Park Pedestrian and Movement Study, and the Structure Plan in Part 4.5 of the Macquarie Park Corridor in the Ryde Development Control Plan 2010.

Sections 5.2 and 5.3

d) provision of on-site car parking having regard to the site’s accessibility to public transport, and local planning controls. Parking provision for shared cars should be specifically addressed as part of this requirement;

Section 8

e) address the potential for implementing a location specific sustainable travel plan, such as a workplace travel plan (WTP) for workers and/or a travel access guide for residents and visitors of the future site;

Section 10

f) identify appropriate staging of the development to allow early provision of accessible transport links and an activated public domain;


g) assessment of the cumulative regional traffic impacts associated with the development;


h) a package of traffic and transport infrastructure and demand management measures to support future development including infrastructure for walking and cycling; and

Section 11

i) timing and cost of infrastructure works and funding responsibilities. Sections 11, 11.8 and 11.9



Requirement Reference

2. Provide an analysis of the impact of the development on the nearby intersections (in both micro simulation and SIDRA form), including but not limited to:

a) Delhi Road/Road 38; b) Delhi Road/M2 traffic control signals; c) Epping Road/Delhi Road; d) Epping Road/Pittwater Road; e) Lane Cove Road/Waterloo Road; f) Waterloo Road/Wicks Road; g) Epping Road/Wicks Road; and h) all proposed access points to Epping Road and M2 Motorway.

Section 9

3. Identify key aspects of the road layout and design which is responsive to existing and proposed land uses including providing linkages to key destination points such as centres, employment lands, and recreation areas, within and surrounding the site.

Sections 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5

4. Identify pedestrian and bicycle connectivity within the site, and to adjoining areas, including to the train station and major bus stops. This should include bicycle parking at the train station and in residential, commercial and retail portions of the proposed development (including the provision of amenities for cyclists).

Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.4, 10.1, 10.2

5. Review existing bus infrastructure and services and identify any need for additional bus infrastructure and services within and adjoining the site. This should include a review of the existing Delhi Road (North Ride Station) bus stops.

Sections 7.3, 7.4 and 10.2



2. Transit-oriented development The proposal offers a unique opportunity to achieve a TOD in an under-developed precinct that has access to a new railway station. The proposed rezoning is informed by TOD principles as it seeks to achieve transport and land integration, improved connectivity to the Station and throughout the Precinct and access to open space for existing and future residents.

2.1 Transit Oriented Development design principles

Some of the key principles needed to create a successful TOD are:

creating a defined centre

active across the day (18-hour)

mix of uses, horizontally and/or vertically

compact pedestrian-oriented design

moderate to higher density development, especially near transit

limited parking.

In addition to these principles, transit-supportive land uses and activities are those that (from Queensland Government Transit Oriented Development Guide for Practitioners in Queensland (October 2010)):

generate high volumes of pedestrians and transit passengers

generate high employment numbers or population density

contribute to reverse-flow movement in the transit network

encourage walking and cycling

include activities that operate 18 or 24 hours per day throughout the week.

The proposal is consistent with recognised TOD principles as it would provide the following:

mixed use development within 800 m of the North Ryde Station, with greater focus on residential development, supported by appropriate community facilities

integration of North Ryde Station with retail, commercial, recreational and community uses therefore stimulating activity around the station

prioritisation of pedestrian and cycle activity and proximity to high quality bus and rail facilities and services

a high level of pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to nearby employment

reduced levels of private vehicle parking combined with provision for car share schemes and other transport alternatives to reduce car dependency



liveable and active public domain spaces for the community that integrate with proposed land uses and the station

an opportunity to rehabilitate the riparian corridor to the north of the M2 Site

high quality open space that is within walking distance.

2.2 The challenge

The Precinct is located with good access to public transport, including:

a modern train station

a high-frequency strategic bus corridor, with other local bus services providing access in all directions.

Nearby pedestrian and cyclist facilities include:

an off-road cycle path running past one of the sites and on-road cycle lanes past another

a nearby pedestrian bridge over Epping Road, a busy arterial road.

Additionally, ramps to the M2 Motorway and wider Sydney Orbital Motorway network immediately adjoin the site. This means it is well connected to the arterial and sub-arterial road network, and roads leading to major employment and retail areas.

The good access to the road network has resulted in intense competition for road space during peak periods. The congested arterial roads present a barrier to local traffic movements to the site and pedestrian access to the station. The position of the Project sites result in sections of road frontage being unsuitable for direct vehicle access.

The area surrounding the North Ryde Station Precinct also has a large supply of parking, and travel patterns largely focussed on private car travel. Despite the opening of the ECRL, the legacy of relying on car access and parking has resulted in a low overall use of public transport.

To address this issue, the site is to be developed as a TOD which prioritises pedestrian and cycle activity and access to high quality bus and rail services within a higher density mixed land use framework for development to reduce the reliance on the road network for access and maximise use of public transport. A mixed use development is planned to allow more live/work opportunities within the local area. This shortens journey distances and opens up greater opportunity for walking and cycling trips.

2.3 Sustainability targets

The State Government’s NSW 2021 10-year plan contains targets for improving transport services and shifting trips away from the use of private vehicles toward public transport, walking and cycling. The plan provides target mode shares for public transport for major centres in NSW. While no specific target is given for North Ryde or Macquarie Park, a target of increasing the proportion of total journeys to work by public transport in the Sydney Metropolitan Region to 28% by 2016 is given.

Increasing the use of walking and cycling for trips is also advocated, with the specific targets of more than doubling the mode share of bicycle trips and increasing the mode share of walking trips to 25% by 2016. The plan also aims to create planning policy that encourages job growth in centres close to where people live and to provide access by public transport.



These goals apply to the Sydney Metropolitan Region in general. The Project aspires to be a TOD, hence its transport targets should aim to achieve even higher shifts in travel behaviour away from car use than those stated in NSW 2021.

Therefore, the proposed set of transport targets for the Project upon completion are:

journey to work mode share of 40% car driver or less

bicycle mode share for all trips of 3%, compared to current value for the area of less than 1%

walking to increase to 23% of daily travel

provide a low provision of car parking

on-street car parking spaces to serve dual and complimentary uses within the village centre

road capacity upgrades to be considered when travel times increase by more than 5% and performance falls below Level of Service D.

2.4 Achieving the principles

The TOD principles have been implemented in the Project as follows:

Defined centre

The Precinct is separated into different areas by Epping Road, Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway. This separation would be overcome by the creation of two ‘centres’, and the connection of these centres by a grade separated pedestrian and cycle link.

The M2 Site would contain a centre focussed on a central open space, adjoined by ground level retail space (potentially including cafes, service-based speciality shops and a small grocery store). This space would be located on the pedestrian spine in close proximity to the proposed bridge over Delhi Road, and within easy reach of the proposed community facility.

The station sites would provide the second centre focussed on a public open space with a potential new lower-level connection into North Ryde Station. This space would also be fronted by retail land uses. The remaining two sites do not have the size to justify centres of their own, but would be connected to the two centres by convenient pedestrian links. A recommendation is also made to investigate the provision of a long term pedestrian and cycle bridge connection over Epping Road, which would provide improved connections to existing and future development on the southern side of Epping Road.

Mix of land uses, active across the day

The two centres would seek to contain a mix of land uses, including residential, retail, commercial space, a community centre, serviced apartments, student accommodation and open space. This would provide a level of activity throughout the day and night to increase passive surveillance which keeps people safe and feeling safe. The creation of active public spaces is important to overcome the quiet/closed after-hours nature of the surrounding business parks.

By providing a mix of uses near the station, people would be attracted to the public open space and toward the station, and encouraged to use public transport. Similarly, people would be encouraged to use local shops and services while accessing public transport. This practice supports both local economic development and public transport use.



The greatest concentration of employment uses would be provided nearest to the station. People travelling between transit and their place of employment expect to walk a shorter distance than those travelling between transit and their home.

Pedestrian-focussed design

Within a TOD, non-car trips increase when a mix of uses is easily accessible and arranged in a way that emphasises travel on foot rather than car. The transport hierarchy should promote movement of people firstly as pedestrians, secondly as cyclists, thirdly through public transport and lastly using private cars.

The pedestrian spine runs through the middle of the development from the northern end of the M2 Site to the eastern boundary of the North Ryde Station Sites. It provides a strong and identifiable pedestrian connection between the major elements of the site. The pedestrian access network, based predominantly on streets, should be ‘fine–grained’ (i.e. short block faces and mid-block laneways), particularly close to the station and within the compact core.

A major feature of the Project is a proposed new pedestrian cycle bridge from the M2 Site to the North Ryde Station Site North over Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway. This bridge would be graded to match the ground level at each end, avoiding the need for stairs, lifts or ramps.

The circulation network would:

reinforce vehicle speeds, making the road network more cycling and pedestrian friendly

provide direct, safe, convenient, continuous and legible cycling and walking networks throughout the precinct radiating from the transit centre and into networks in the surrounding areas

provide excellent permeability for all modes of transport, thereby providing direct routes and reducing trip lengths for all (including vehicle trips).

Medium to higher density development

Residential or employment development near transit stations provides a ready market for transit trips. Consequently, higher densities strengthen the demand for transit. Development should be at higher densities in TODs in relation to the existing surrounding development pattern. Within TODs, densities should be at their highest nearest transit nodes.

The development would locate the highest passenger-generating land use (commercial) in close proximity (within 200–300 m) to the station and Epping Road buses to match employee expectation of a short walk to/from their work location and the transit station. The remainder of the residential land use would be within an 800 m (or 10 minute) walk from either North Ryde Station or North Ryde and Macquarie Park Stations, and within a few hundred metres walk of Epping Road buses.

Limited parking

Parking is one of the most challenging aspects of any TOD. Over provision of parking discourages public transport use. A small amount of short stay parking would be needed to support retail activity. The limited amount of parking provided would be made available for shared use, where possible, to maximise efficiency and reduce the total amount of parking required.

In the early stages of development, higher rates could be allowed through the use of off-street supply, but as more opportunities for land use with lower parking demand arise, the rate should be diminished. This then generates more sustainable and profitable on-site behaviour.



The aim is to provide pedestrian access to all areas of the TOD, while minimising vehicle and pedestrian conflicts and visual intrusion of parking into the public environment. Parking standards should be changed to establish a maximum rather than minimum parking ratio amount. The parking standards should ideally establish a dwelling unit size for which no parking is required (e.g. studio apartments).



3. The project The Project comprises five sites clustered around the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road and North Ryde Station. The proposed rezoning allows for a mixed land-use development, including residential, retail, commercial, community facilities and open space. The Project is being designed as a TOD with high quality urban design incorporating pedestrian and cycle links to encourage use of the high quality bus and rail facilities and services within close proximity to the site.

3.1 Development type

The way in which the proposed zones, maximum heights and floor space ratio's together with the controls in the draft DCP could be applied to the site is shown in an ILP (refer to Section 1 of the DCP). The ILP is a demonstration of how the proposed controls could be applied to the site and represents one development scenario.

The ILP has been used to inform this assessment. The potential land uses for the Precinct as shown in the indicative layout are provided in Table 3.1. The commercial floor space would be provided in the Station Site North and South adjacent to North Ryde Station and the southern end of the M2 Site to place the high trip-generating land use within a short walk of high capacity and frequency bus and train routes.

Table 3.1 Potential site land uses

Site name M2 Site Station Site North

Station Site South OSL Site RMS Site Total

Ownership TfNSW TfNSW Goodman OSL RMS

Residential m2 201,000 - 27,890 11,970 2,700 243,560

dwellings 2,116 - 294 126 28 2,564

Retail (m2) 5,000 900 - 200 - 6,100

Commercial (m2) 24,400 20,000 31,225 - - 75,625

Community centre (m2) 2,500 - - - - 2,500

Student housing

m2 - 7,500 - - - 7,500

beds - 125 - - - 125

Serviced apartments

m2 - 10,000 - - - 10,000

beds - 125 - - - 125

Total (m2) 232,900 38,400 59,115 12,170 2,700 345,285

Note: Due to a late change in the average size of serviced apartments and student accommodation, trip generation numbers in Section 6 were calculated based on 118 serviced apartments and 150 student dwellings, i.e. more than the currently proposed yield.

Overall, it is estimated that the Project will accommodate approximately 2,500 office jobs and 4,600 residents and students.

Potentially the retail space in OSL Site could accommodate a café serving the development and the nearby Blenheim Park. The retail space within the Station Site North could include small speciality shops and convenience stores, mainly serving the site and rail passengers on their way to the station. The M2 Site could contain more substantial retail facilities, possibly including a small supermarket/grocery store, restaurants/cafes and services (professional rooms, hairdresser, etc.). Of these sites, it is envisaged that the retail space within the M2 Site would be the only retail space that could draw shopping trips from outside the development.



3.2 Site descriptions

A description of each of the five sites is outlined below.

M2 Site

The M2 Site is the largest site, located alongside the M2 Motorway and stretching from the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road to the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road. The site slopes down from Delhi Road to Wicks Road. The ECRL passes under the M2 Site, and it was previously used as a construction site for this project. The Site is currently being used as a construction compound for the M2 Motorway widening project. Currently, access is gained from a gate at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road. Another temporary access is located on the M2 Motorway on-ramp.

OSL Site

The OSL Site is currently occupied by tennis courts and an associated clubhouse building. The Site is bounded to the east by Epping Road and is adjacent to Blenheim Park. Access is gained from Epping Road.

RMS Site

The RMS Site comprises an area of bushland connected to Bundara Reserve and three residential lots. A fourth residential lot that is not part of the RMS Site is located immediately adjacent to the site and Bundara Reserve. The site is surrounded by Epping Road, Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway. Access is gained from Epping Road.

Station Site North

The site contains the existing entrance to North Ryde Station, two service buildings and RailCorp easements. The site fronts Delhi Road, with access through Goodman land via a set of traffic signals east of the M2 Motorway ramp intersection. The site is currently being used by temporary administrative buildings for the M2 Motorway widening project. The site slopes away from Delhi Road, with a large level differential along the Delhi Road boundary. The site is currently separated from the Riverside Corporate Park.

Station Site South

The North Ryde Station Site South is bounded by the Station Site North, the Riverside Corporate Park and the M2 Motorway. The buildings occupied by its previous use have been demolished and the site is currently vacant. The site includes the Road 38 alignment (currently known as ‘The Leighton Way’). Access to the road network is currently gained via a set of traffic signals east of the M2 Motorway ramp intersection.

3.3 Access arrangements

The five sites would each have their own access arrangements. Where possible, access would be achieved from non-arterial roads via existing intersections. The proposed access locations have been assessed based on the road hierarchy, their impact on surrounding junctions and road safety considerations. The proposed list of vehicle access points are listed in Table 3.2.

Access to the Station Site North is via a right-of-way through the Station Site South which connects to the existing traffic signals at the intersection of Delhi Road and The Leighton Way. The two accesses in the M2 Site would be connected by a ‘Spine Street’ running through the site. The left-in only arrangement on Epping Road avoids the potential for this route to become a ‘rat-run’ for access onto the M2 Motorway.



Table 3.2 Proposed North Ryde Station Precinct vehicle access locations

Access Configuration

M2 Site

Waterloo Road and Wicks Road Traffic signals with pedestrian crossings.

Epping Road Left-in only with deceleration lane.

M2 Motorway on-ramp Emergency access at site of current construction access – gates kept closed at other times

Station Site North & South

Delhi Road and Road 38 Connect to existing traffic signals.

Road 38 and Road 18 Give-way sign controlled intersection – one-way eastbound into Riverside Corporate Park.

Road 38 and Lucknow Road Connection of the two roads in both directions.

OSL Site

Epping Road Left-in/left-out Left-in/left-out driveway-style with separated entry and exit.

RMS Site

Epping Road Left-in/left-out Left-in/left-out driveway-style with separated entry and exit.

The proposed access locations have sufficient sight distance to meet Austroads Guidelines and deceleration lanes would be provided where required to ensure safe entry and exit of the Precinct. The creation of a deceleration lane on Epping Road into the M2 Site would necessitate the relocation of a bus stop. Location of the bus stop will be determined through the detailed design process and be located with consideration of the safety of pedestrian movement.

3.4 Pedestrian and cycle facilities

The following pedestrian and cycle facilities are proposed to connect the sites to the existing network, and to promote these modes for movement around and within the precinct:

footpath along the northern side of Epping Road connecting the Epping Road footbridge to the intersection with Delhi Road

pedestrian bridge from the M2 Site, across Delhi Road (span 1), across the M2 Motorway (span 2) and connecting to the North Ryde Station Site North

pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Waterloo Road and Wicks Road via the provision of new traffic signals

a new footpath along the eastern side of Wicks Road in front of the M2 Site

a continuous shared pedestrian and cycle path from the Riverside Corporate Park, through the Station Sites, over the new pedestrian bridge, through the M2 Site and connecting to the new shared paths on Waterloo Road

a shared zone around the central open space within the M2 Site and pedestrian crossings with raised thresholds on either side to maintain the pedestrian and cycle priority over traffic through the site

footpath connection from the end of Road 38 to footpath level on Epping Road at the intersection with Pittwater Road.



The following additional facilities are not included in this project but are recommended to be investigated further to improve safety and accessibility of the precinct for pedestrians:

a new walking/cycling trail to the facilities at Tunks Hill in the Lane Cove National Park

a pedestrian and cycle bridge over Epping Road connecting Station Site South with Blenheim Road to improve pedestrian connectivity from south of Epping Road to the station.

The sites and their main vehicular access points are shown on Figure 3.1.

Source: Cox Richardson Architects: Indicative Layout Plan Report Draft November 2012

Figure 3.1 Project sites and accesses



3.5 Staging

The estimated year for release of the first buildings for occupation is 2016, with the last block anticipated to be released by 2025. An indicative staging plan was developed in conjunction with the ILP for the government owned lands to assist planning of the progression of the development, whilst providing a level of flexibility to adapt to market opportunities if required.

For the purposes of this assessment, seven stages of development have been assumed to balance infrastructure provision, open space delivery and development opportunities. Stage 1 (in four sub-stages) would deliver the site infrastructure required by the subsequent stages. For example, it is expected that Stage 1a will deliver the key site infrastructure including the Spine Street and Span 1 of the pedestrian bridge. The remaining stages will incorporate necessary public domain and infrastructure delivery. The works included in each of the Stage 1 sub-stages are listed in Table 3.3.

Table 3.3 Stage 1 transport elements

Stage Transport components Timing

1a

M2 Spine Street Pedestrian Bridge Span 1 Pedestrian Bridge Span 1 vertical transport and stairs Wicks/Waterloo Intersection (no signals)

2013/2014

1b

Intersection Works for Station Road/Delhi Road Station Site North Internal Road Left-in off Epping Road M2 Internal Roads Wicks/Waterloo Signals Community Centre on M2 Site

2015

1c Pedestrian Bridge Span 2 (subject to future funding) North Ryde Station upgrade works (new entry and public domain)

2016/2017

1d Construction of Road 38 on Station Site South By developer of

Station Site South (timing unknown)

The elements contained in each of these sub-stages are shown in Figure 3.2 (black, grey and hatched areas), along with an indicative staging plan for the remaining development. At the end of Stage 1b, it is anticipated that access would be complete for the M2 Site. Access to Station Site North would be complete by Stage 1d.



Source: Cox Richardson Architects: Indicative Layout Plan Report Draft November 2012 – base image

Figure 3.2 Indicative staging plan



3.6 Proposed rezoning

Proposed zones have been identified for the Project to provide for the following land uses:

The high density residential zone (R4) across the majority of the M2 Site and the medium density residential zone (R3) on the OSL and RMS Sites providing for a diversity of housing types in close proximity to North Ryde Station.

The mixed use zone (B4) for the Station South and North Sites and a portion of the M2 Site providing for retail and commercial/employment on the M2 Site and convenience retail and complementary commercial development in proximity to North Ryde Station.

The public recreation zone (RE1) throughout the precinct to provide a series of public open space areas, buffer zones and green links.

The RE1 zone will also allow for community facilities, including a community centre with associated recreation space on the M2 Site.

3.7 Development Control Plan

A Development Control Plan (DCP) identifying development standards, public domain and road and infrastructure layout has been prepared to guide the future development of lands within the North Ryde Station Precinct. Key elements of the DCP include:

Provision of a spine road through the M2 Site from Epping Road to Wicks Road to provide the main vehicular connection through the M2 Site.

Development of a vehicular access point to the M2 Site from Epping Road and one on Wicks Road with connections onto Waterloo Road.

A footpath and pedestrian bridge sited at the southern end of the M2 Site connecting the site with the Station.

Significant pedestrian and cycleway upgrades and new links to improve connectivity to North Ryde Station and the MPC.

A fixed quantum of private vehicle, public and other forms parking to promote public transport utilisation and reduced car dependency.

Sustainability initiatives including the use of native plants grown with locally sourced seed, Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) measures and rehabilitation of the riparian zones on the northern portion of the M2 Site to create a natural open space area with drainage area.

Best practice urban design to create usable spaces, enhanced amenity and activation of the Precinct in accordance with TOD principles.



3.8 Access requirements to local trip generating activities

The Project is well-located for commuter transport to local and regional employment centres. Whilst the mixed use development would contain many non-work trips within the Project, the future residents would require access to local facilities. These facilities are accessible by several modes, the most convenient being discussed below.

Education

The closest public school is located on Ryrie Street, south of Epping Road, with others located further south in North Ryde. Pedestrians walking to local public schools can use the Epping Road pedestrian bridge (if originating from the M2 Site), the new Delhi Road bridge and Epping Road bridge (for station site residents) or existing footpaths and signalised crossings (from the OSL and RMS Sites). The nearest high schools are located close to bus routes or the ECRL. University Students can also use the ECRL, or cycle/walk via Waterloo Road.

Entertainment

There are several entertainment destinations within easy travel from the site. Macquarie Centre is one station away on the ECRL and is within walking or cycling distance. Bus routes 287, 533 and 534 connect North Ryde to Top Ryde. Chatswood, North Sydney and Sydney CBD are accessible by train and bus.

Shopping

Local shopping facilities would be provided within the M2 Site. More extensive shopping is available at Macquarie Centre (train, walk, bus or cycle), Chatswood (train or bus) and Top Ryde (cycle or bus). Car use is more likely for trips where large amounts of shopping need to be transported, although these trips can be timed to occur outside peak periods, and can be minimised if delivery services are available.

Recreation

Open space for recreation would be provided within the sites. A new pedestrian connection into the Lane Cove National Park would be created via Wicks Road, in addition to the existing tracks (accessed from Plassey Road). Blenheim Park is accessible via the signalised crossings of Epping Road (Pittwater Road and Delhi Road) and the Epping Road pedestrian bridge.



4. Existing conditions This section outlines the existing travel behaviour of residents and employees in the vicinity of the Project. It also looks at locations with similar characteristics to guide the potential travel behaviour of the residents and employees in the Project. It describes the current transport capacity and performance of the surrounding roads, the public transport network, the walking and cycling network and the implications of parking supply and demand. This information will provide a benchmark from which to assess the likely changes attributable to varied aspects of the Project.

4.1 Travel behaviour

Looking at the travel behaviour of existing nearby residents and employees can assist in understanding the potential travel requirements of the future residents and employees of the Project. Travel behaviour varies widely, but certain characteristics can be grouped depending on the:

purpose for the journey

the time period of journey

the mode or combination of modes of transport used from the origin to the destination.

Three sets of data exist for assessing these travel characteristics:

Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes broad travel data gathered from the questions asked in the 5-yearly Census. Useful data includes the population, number of dwellings, amount of workers and students, mode of travel to work and time of work trips made.

The Census results for NSW are further analysed by the Bureau of Transport Statistics (BTS) (formerly Transport Data Centre), within Transport for NSW. The Journey to Work data set analyses work commuting trips and links their origin and destination zones, creating a matrix of movements around the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA). This is useful to determine the current directions of travel to and from an area.

BTS also undertakes a continuous Household Travel Survey (HTS) which samples households in the GMA. The survey involves respondents completing a diary of their travel patterns for all trip purposes. The results are compiled on an annual basis, but can be combined to form a large pool of data.

Due to the sample size, only certain types of data are available from each data set.

Number of daily trips per person

The 2009/2010 release of HTS data indicates that people in Sydney GMA made 3.64 trips per person per weekday. The 2007 Key Transport Indicators for the HTS indicates that Ryde Local Government Area (LGA) residents made slightly fewer trips per weekday (3.43 trips per person per weekday). However, for areas closer to Sydney CBD, the average number of trips per weekday per person rises to approximately 4.0.



Reason for travelling

Trips generated from dwellings can be made for several purposes, and may often have different destinations using varied modes of travel. Trip purposes can include: commute to work, work related business, education/childcare, shopping, personal business, social/recreation, serve passenger or other. For the purposes of this study, these categories have been amalgamated to those shown in Table 4.1. Data from the 2007 and 2008/09 releases of the HTS for Sydney GMA and Ryde LGA were used to estimate these rates. Travel behaviour during the AM peak can be different from patterns across the whole day (for example more education trips in the morning peak, more shopping trips during the middle of the day), so percentages are presented for both daily and AM peak trips.

Table 4.1 Existing trip purpose percentages for Ryde Council area

Reason for travel Weekday % of all trips AM peak period % of all trips

Commute, work related business 34% 53%

Education/Childcare 10% 22%

Shopping, personal business 28% 13%

Other, social/Recreational 28% 12%

Total 100% 100%

Source: HTS 2007 and HTS 2009/10 adjusted for Ryde LGA Note: Trips to serve passenger were apportioned across the other four categories and included in their percentages.

Transport mode share

The choice of travel mode varies depending on the range of transport services available, car availability, need for predictable arrival, the length of the journey and the reason for travelling. The mode split for the residential area in North Ryde is shown in Table 4.2. The mode split percentages are calculated using data from the Bureau of Transport Statistics (BTS) 2006 Journey to Work (JTW) dataset. The BTS JTW data use information from 2006, collected before the opening of the ECRL. The use of modes for selected urban centres with comparable rail access is provided for comparison. The numbers have been calculated for the group of BTS travel zones corresponding to areas of interest within the suburb. The travel zones used to compare the mode share for residential and employment are shown in Figure 4.1.

Table 4.2 AM peak period mode split examples for trips from surrounding urban centres and residential areas

Mode North Ryde West Ryde Epping Chatswood St Leonards

Zones 2472, 2499, 2506

2507, 2508, 2511, 2512

1659, 2628, 2629, 2631, 2632, 2634

2387, 2392, 2393, 2398

2334, 2411, 2412, 2435

Car driver 65% 51% 58% 36% 35%

Car passenger 6% 4% 5% 4% 4%

Train 4% 32% 27% 33% 33%

Bus 17% 7% 5% 6% 8%

Walk, cycle, other 7% 6% 5% 20% 20%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics 2006 Journey to Work Note: Travel zone 2472 included to capture travel behaviour of high rise apartments in the Macquarie Park area



Figure 4.1 BTS travel zones used to compare residential and employment mode share

The corresponding JTW mode share for work trips to the selected urban centres and the nearby business park areas of North Ryde are shown in Table 4.3.



Table 4.3 AM peak period mode split examples for trips to surrounding urban centres and residential areas

Mode North Ryde West Ryde Epping Chatswood St Leonards

Zones 2495, 2500 2507, 2508, 2511, 2512 1657, 2631 2387, 2392,

2393, 2398 2334, 2411, 2412, 2435

Car driver 85% 71% 70% 50% 55%

Car passenger 4% 8% 6% 5% 4%

Train 4% 10% 15% 30% 28%

Bus 4% 3% 2% 7% 6%

Walk, cycle, other 3% 8% 7% 8% 8%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics 2006 Journey to Work

The Household Travel Survey 2009/10 provides information on the relative use of different modes of travel for different trip purposes for Sydney GMA. This is shown in Figure 4.2. It shows that the private car is used predominantly for commuting and business. Public transport is predominantly used for commuting and education, while walking is used for a significant percentage of trips made for shopping, recreation or personal business whether from a home origin or a workplace origin.

Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics Household Travel Survey Summary 2009/10. ‘Other’ includes bicycle.

Note: serve passenger trips include ‘dropping off/picking up someone’ (e.g. dropping off a spouse at the train station) or ‘accompanying someone’ (e.g. accompanying an elderly parent to a doctor’s appointment

Figure 4.2 Mode of travel by trip purpose for Sydney GMA

Car ownership

The number of cars owned per dwelling is a measure of residents in an area’s ability to choose to travel other than by transit. Many new land release areas have high number of vehicles per dwelling, indicating that more people in the household have the ability to drive. Car ownership is influenced by the number of people per dwelling as well as affluence, job type and the availability of free parking.

Table 4.4 shows the average results for Ryde, North Sydney, City of Sydney Council areas as well as the Sydney GMA. The average household in Ryde LGA has slightly lower levels of car ownership than the Sydney GMA. North Sydney LGA’s level of car ownership is lower again, but due to the smaller number

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Commute

Work related business

Education/childcare

Shopping

Personal business

Social/recreation

Serve passenger

Vehicle driver

Vehicle passenger

Train

Bus

Walk

Other



of people per dwelling, it is actually a higher rate per capita. For the Project to be a true TOD-style development, it will need levels of car ownership lower than the City of Sydney, from the outset. However, given the high-rise nature of the development, its location adjacent to a train station and a high-frequency bus corridor, components of affordable housing and student accommodation, the travel behaviour in this housing may differ from that of the current typical residents in the City of Ryde.

Table 4.4 Car ownership in Ryde LGA

Ryde LGA City of Sydney LGA

North Sydney LGA Sydney GMA

Cars per household 1.41 0.72 1.13 1.51

People per household 2.51 1.90 1.90 2.64

Cars per person 0.56 0.38 0.60 0.57

Source: HTS 2007

Direction of travel

The direction of travel has been assessed for both trips to, and from, the site based on the 2006 Census ‘Journey to Work’ (JTW) data. This dataset divides the Sydney GMA into local government areas, which are then divided further into BTS travel zones. For the distribution part of this assessment, the ‘travel zone’ system was selected as it enabled the origin or destination of trips to be identified inside and outside Ryde LGA.

Trips from North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites

The trip distribution for journey to work trips in the AM peak from the North Ryde area is shown in Figure 4.3. The travel patterns for the same zones listed in Table 4.2, as well as two zones around the western end of Mowbray Road, were averaged to be typical of the present situation.

Summarising the destination of commuter trips by local council area shows, as seen in Table 4.5, that the majority of workers stay within Ryde LGA, or travel to neighbouring LGAs of Sydney CBD.

Table 4.5 Destination LGA for commute trips for residents of the Project

LGA % of trips from sites LGA % of trips from sites

Ryde 20% Lane Cove 5%

Willoughby 11% Parramatta 5%

Sydney CBD 10% Ku-ring-gai 4%

North Sydney 6% Other LGAs 39% Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics Journey to Work 2006, average of zones 2396, 2423, 2472, 2476, 2499, 2506



Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics Journey to Work 2006, average of z ones 2396, 2423, 2472, 2476, 2499, 2506

Figure 4.3 Direction of travel from the North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites

Trips to North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites

The trip distribution for journey to work trips in the AM peak to the Project sites is shown in Figure 4.4. The travel patterns for the same zones listed in Table 4.2 were averaged to be typical of the present situation.



Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics Journey to Word 2006, average of zones 2495, 2500

Figure 4.4 Direction of travel to the North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites

When the results are summarised by the originating LGA (see Table 4.6 for details), they show that the workers come from a more dispersed set of locations than the destinations for residents living in the Project.



Table 4.6 Origin LGA of commute trips for employees coming to the Project

LGA % of trips to sites LGA % of trips to sites

Ryde 10% Warringah 5%

Hornsby 10% Willoughby 4%

Baulkham Hills 8% North Sydney 4%

Ku-ring-gai 6% Sydney 3%

Parramatta 6% Lane Cove 3%

Blacktown 5% Other 30 LGAs 38% Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics Journey to Work 2006, average of zones 2495, 2500

For the transport network, the results in Tables 4.5 and 4.6 indicate that the commute trips of residents can be served by the major public transport corridors, while employees are less likely to find convenient public transport, walking or cycling options.

4.2 Public transport

4.2.1 Rail

North Ryde Station is one of the recently built stations along the ECRL. It is served by Northern Line trains, which link the station to the Sydney CBD inbound and Hornsby via Epping outbound. Passengers can interchange from the North Shore Line at Chatswood, the Northern Line (via Strathfield) and the Newcastle and Central Coast Line at Epping or Chatswood. Table 4.7 indicates the number of peak hour services and operating hours from North Ryde Station.

Table 4.7 Current train services at North Ryde Station

Line Direction AM peak hour services

PM peak hour services

Daily services

Weekday operating hours (from North Ryde)

Northern Line

To City 4 4 67 5.11–23.12

To Epping 4 4 70 5.47–12.21

(next morning) Source: http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/timetables_by_line (viewed 27 September 2011)

Passenger information from RailCorp, shown in Table 4.8 indicates that the number of passenger movements through the station across a typical weekday has risen from 980 per day in 2009 (A Compendium of CityRail Travel Statistics (Seventh Edition, June 2010)) to 2,900 per day in 2011. This represents a three-fold increase within three years and ranks North Ryde Station the 137th busiest station out of 297 based on daily passenger numbers.

Table 4.8 Daily passenger movements at North Ryde Station

Time period Entries Exits

02.00 to 06.00 0 0

06.00 to 09.30 190 820

09.30 to 15.00 300 240

15.00 to 18.30 830 260

18.30 to 02.00 130 140

24 Hours 1,450 1,450

Source: RailCorp, 2011

http://www.cityrail.info/timetables/timetables_by_line



RailCorp has also provided train passenger load information at Epping and Chatswood for September 2010 and March 2011. The numbers indicate that:

during the morning peak, city bound trains are passing through the ECRL at around their seated capacity

before the height of the morning peak, more passengers board city bound trains at Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde than alight. However, at the height of the morning peak, there is a net reduction in passenger loads, due to students and staff alighting at Macquarie University Station

trains in the outbound direction in the morning peak reach only 50%–60% of their seated capacity

there is a similar but reversed pattern in the evening peak, with outbound trains at the height of the evening peak operating at approximately their seated capacity.

4.2.2 Bus

Currently, 27 bus routes service the North Ryde area, operated by State Transit Authority (STA) and Hillsbus. The majority of routes connect North Ryde to Macquarie Park to the west and Sydney CBD and Chatswood to the east.

As a result of the 2003 Unsworth Review of bus services, the focus of bus network improvements were focussed on ‘strategic bus corridors’, designed to provide high-frequency, reliable services between regional centres. North Ryde has access to high-frequency bus services on Strategic Bus Corridor 9 (Parramatta to City via Pennant Hills Road and Carlingford Road) which runs along Epping Road.

An extract of the current STA bus network in the vicinity of North Ryde is shown in Figure 4.5. STA provides most of the connections to services and employment in the area.

Source: Sydney Buses website, http://www.statetransit.info/sydney/network-interchange-maps, accessed July 2011

Figure 4.5 STA bus services operating through North Ryde



Figure 4.6 indicates the current bus routes operated by Hillsbus. Most of these services operate express on the M2 Motorway to Macquarie Park from the Seven Hills and Baulkham Hills area. They have limited stops in the vicinity of the Project.

Source: CDCBus website, http://www.cdcbus.com.au/Hillsbus-Maps.html, accessed July 2011

Figure 4.6 Hillsbus services operating along Epping Road in North Ryde

The bus service characteristics are summarised in Table 4.9. While there are a number of bus routes operating in the area, some provide only a limited service. Routes 286–297 operate along Epping Road, and added to the limited stops Route 600 series, the frequency of buses on the Epping Road corridor is approximately one bus every 2 minutes in the peak direction during the peak period. Some STA and Hillsbus services operate express via the Lane Cove Tunnel and/or the Gore Hill Freeway to North Sydney and Sydney CBD. These buses provide a travel time saving compared to train services for trips from the study area to Sydney CBD (15 to 20 minutes on the bus compared to 29 to 30 minutes on the train).



Table 4.9 STA and Hillsbus services operating via North Ryde

Origin and Destination Operator AM peak frequency

Off peak frequency

PM peak frequency

140 (2) – Epping to Manly via Macquarie STA 2 trips - 2 trips

286 (2) – Denistone East to Milsons Point via Pacific Highway STA 30 min - 30 min

287 – Ryde to Milsons Point via Pacific Highway STA 15–30 min - 30 min

288 – Epping to City via Macquarie STA 7.5 min 15 min 8.5 min

290 – Epping to City via St Leonards STA 20 min 30 min 20 min

292 – Marsfield to City via Epping STA 15 min 30 min 12 min

293 (2) – Marsfield to City via freeway STA 12 min - 20 min

294 (2) – Epping to City via St Leonards STA 10 min - 1 trip

297 (2) – Denistone East to City via North Ryde STA 7 trips - 20 min

533 – Sydney Olympic Park and Chatswood via Ryde STA 15 min (1) - 20 min (1)

534 – Ryde to Chatswood via North Ryde STA 15 min (1) 40 min 15 min (1)

545 – Parramatta to Chatswood via Macquarie STA 10 min 15 min 10 min

550 (2) – Chatswood to Parramatta via Eastwood STA - - 4 trips

610 – Rouse Hill to City via Castle Hill Hillsbus 30 min 30 min 20 min

612 (2) – Riley T-way Station to Milsons Point via St Leonards Hillsbus 7.5 min - 10 min

613 (2) – Bella Vista to City via M2 Hillsbus 3 trips - 5 trips

614 (2) – Bella Vista to City via Winston Hills Hillsbus 8 trips - 20 min

615 (2) – Riley T-way Station to City via Baulkham Hills Hillsbus 5 trips - 4 trips

616 (2) – Rouse Hill to City via Stanhope Gardens Hillsbus 4 trips - 5 trips

618 (2) – Bella Vista to City via Baulkham Hills Hillsbus 15 min - 20–30 min

620 (2) – Dural to City via Cherrybrook Hillsbus 2 trips - -

621 – Castle Hill to City via Macquarie Park Hillsbus 30 min 60 min 30 min

622 (2) – Dural to Millers Point via Cherrybrook Hillsbus 20 min - 30 min

642 (2) – Round Corner to City via West Pennant Hills Hillsbus 30–40 min 60 min 40 min

650 (2) – West Pennant Hills Valley to City via M2 Hillsbus 1 trip - 1 trip

651 – Castle Hill to City via Macquarie Hillsbus 30 min 60 min 30 min

653 (2) – West Pennant Hills to Milsons Point via North Sydney Hillsbus 20 min - 30 min

Source: www.131500.com.au, accessed 26/07/2011

(1) Route 533 and 534 operate in opposite directions along similar route in the peak periods (2) Route operates in peak direction only. Limited stops on Epping Road

There are several bus stops in the area, shown in Figure 4.7, with different combinations of routes stopping at each. A list of the closest bus stops to the project sites and the possible destinations from these stops is given in Table 4.10. There are varying levels of infrastructure at the stops, with some having shelters and seating, while others have a simple bus stop indication pole.



Figure 4.7 Train stations and bus stops



Table 4.10 Bus stops and bus destinations

Stop No. Location Bus routes Destination Infrastructure

1 Epping Road near Pittwater Road

140, 533, 534, 286-288, 290, 292-294, 297

Macquarie Park, Olympic Park, West Ryde, Top Ryde,

Denistone East, Epping, Marsfield

Plinth

2 Epping Road near Rivett Road

533, 534, 286-288, 290, 292-

294, 297

Chatswood, City and North Sydney via

Epping Road

Plinth, seat

3 Epping Road near Delhi Road

140, 290, 292-294

Macquarie Park, Epping, Marsfield

Plinth

4 Epping Road near Delhi Road

545, 290, 292-294

Chatswood, City via Epping Road

Plinth, seat

5 Epping Road near Ryrie Street

140, 290, 292-294, 545, 550

Macquarie Park, Epping, Marsfield, Parramatta

Plinth

6 Delhi Road 545, 550 Parramatta Plinth, seats, shelter

7 Delhi Road 545 Chatswood Plinth, seats, shelter

8 Blenheim Road 533, 534, 286, 287, 288, 297

Olympic Park, West Ryde, Top Ryde, Denistone East, Epping

Pole, seat, shelter

9 Waterloo Road near Lane Cove Road

M54 Parramatta Plinth

10 Waterloo Road near Lane Cove Road

M54 Macquarie Park None

Source: State Transit Authority, 2011

4.2.3 Bus priority

RMS has installed bus priority to reduce bus journey times and improve reliability. These facilities, shown on Figure 4.8, are focussed on Epping Road due to its Strategic Bus Corridor status. They include:

bus queue jumps at the following intersections:

Epping Road at Lane Cove Road – eastbound queue jump

Epping Road at Wicks Road – eastbound left turn only exemption for buses, westbound queue jump

Epping Road at Delhi Road – eastbound queue jump (recently completed – see Figure 4.10)

Pittwater Road/Epping Road – northbound bus-only slip lane from Blenheim Road, northbound queue jump, westbound queue jump

Delhi Road at The Leighton Way – eastbound queue jump to assist buses leaving the adjacent stop

Transit Lanes on Epping Road, including:

AM peak period T3 Transit Lane on Epping Road eastbound, east of Delhi Road

AM peak period T3 Transit Lane on Epping Road eastbound, west of Delhi Road



PM peak period T3 Transit Lane on Epping Road westbound, west of Wicks Road.

Bus priority facilities have recently been constructed on Lane Cove Road in the vicinity of Waterloo Road and Talavera Road.

RMS has recently completed works to extend the length of the eastbound bus lane on Epping Road at Delhi Road to give buses greater priority. These works also included extending the left-turn lane into Delhi Road, narrowing the median dividing the eastbound and westbound carriageways and removing the service lane median, creating a wide kerbside lane with driveway entry points.

Source: Roads and Maritime Services, 2011

Figure 4.8 Extension of bus lane and left-turn lane on Epping Road at Delhi Road

TfNSW M2 Site



4.3 Pedestrian network

Pedestrian facilities are provided throughout the adjoining area. However, the arterial roads and large intersections present a barrier to easy pedestrian movement.

The majority of the streets have footpaths on both sides and intersections provide at-grade crossing facilities. Footpaths are missing on the northern side of Epping Road, between the pedestrian overbridge and Delhi Road. They are also missing on the northern side of Delhi Road between Epping Road and The Leighton Way. However, this pedestrian movement is not encouraged, with alternative access available on the southern side of Delhi Road.

There is a nearby pedestrian overbridge across Epping Road, approximately mid-way between Delhi Road and Wicks Road (see Photo 4.1 below). This bridge provides access for residents living in the North Ryde area, south of Epping Road to the bus stop heading towards the city.

Photo 4.1 Epping Road pedestrian bridge

Pedestrian crossings are provided for most movements at signalised intersections. However, some do not provide convenient movement. An example is the pedestrian crossing across Delhi Road on the northern side of Epping Road, where pedestrians wait to cross to an island then wait another full cycle to cross to the next island then wait again to complete their crossing. This delay can run to several minutes. Some locations, such as the intersection of Waterloo Road and Wicks Road, have footpaths but few crossing opportunities for pedestrians. This, and high traffic volumes, create a barrier to convenient pedestrian movement.

High quality shared pedestrian and cycleways have been created on:

the southern side of Epping Road through the study area

the western side of Wicks Road between Epping Road and Waterloo Road

the southern side of Waterloo Road between Wicks Road and Thomas Holt Drive

the northern side of Waterloo Road west of Thomas Holt Drive.



Figure 4.9 shows the locations of pedestrian footpaths, shared footpaths and on-street cycle lanes.

Figure 4.9 Pedestrian and cycle network

4.4 Cycle network

In addition to the shared pedestrian and cycle facilities, the adjoining area also has dedicated cycle lanes on both sides of Delhi Road and cycle lanes marked within the breakdown lane on the M2 Motorway. The cycling network is shown on Figure 4.9. Other cycling facilities in the area include:

bike parking rack on Delhi Road at the North Ryde Station

children’s cycling area in Blenheim Park



off-road trails within the Lane Cove National Park.

4.5 Road network

The road network within the vicinity of the precinct is dominated by arterial roads. These roads, and the local roads with significance for the five sites, are described in Table 4.11.

Table 4.11 Description of key roads in the local network

Road name Classification Carriageway Speed limit

Significance for Project sites Role in network

Epping Road Arterial Divided three lanes in each direction with divided four lanes westbound direction west of Pittwater Road.

80 km/h Provides access to the North Ryde Station Precinct sites. Connects Delhi Road in the east and M2 Motorway in the south.

Connects the Pacific Highway in the east to Epping

Delhi Road Arterial Undivided one lane in each direction east of Julius Avenue. Divided two lanes west of Julius Avenue.

60 km/h Principal access to the North Ryde Station. Connects to Chatswood, Epping Road and the M2 Motorway.

Connects the Epping Road in the west and Chatswood in the east.

Lane Cove Road

Arterial Divided three lanes in each direction.

70 km/h Provide access to the Macquarie Park Station, commercial and residential area north and south of Epping Road.

Part of the Route A3 which connects Mona Vale to Hurstville.

Waterloo Road

Collector Undivided two lanes in each direction west of Lane Cove Road with 2P parking on both sides. Undivided one lane in each direction east of Lane Cove Road with 12P parking on both sides.

60 km/h Provide access to the commercial and industrial area east and west of Lane Cove Road. Connects Wicks Road in the east.

Distribution within Macquarie Park.

M2 Motorway Motorway Divided two/three lanes in each direction.

100km/h* Access from western part of Sydney.

Express route for interstate and through traffic.

Pittwater Road

Sub-arterial Undivided one lane in each direction.

60 km/h Provide access to the southern edge of the residential area.

Connects Gladesville to Epping Road.

Julius Avenue, Rivett Road and Lucknow Road

Local Undivided one lane in each direction.

50 km/h Connects Delhi Road in the north and provide access to the North Ryde Station.

Local access within Riverside Corporate Park.

Wicks Road Collector Undivided two lanes in each direction south of Epping Road with parking on both sides. Undivided one lane in each direction north of Epping Road with parking on both sides.

60 km/h Provide access to the M2 Site and adjacent properties (including waste disposal). Connects to Lane Cove Road and Top Ryde.

Distribution within North Ryde. Connection to Lane Cove Road.

Note: Speed limit is currently 80 km/h in this section due to M2 Motorway widening construction



The arterial roads in Table 4.11 are RMS state classified roads, while Pittwater Road and Wicks Road (south of Epping Road) are listed as a regional roads, meaning they have shared funding and responsibility between the RMS and CoR. The remaining roads are local roads under the care and responsibility of Council. Figure 4.10 shows the road network and hierarchy, while Figure 4.11 shows the speed limits on the surrounding roads.

Figure 4.10 Road network and hierarchy



Note: Speed limit is currently 80 km/h in this section due to M2 Motorway widening construction

Figure 4.11 Speed limits

The M2 Motorway is currently being widened. The project, shown in Figure 4.12 involves constructing new lanes, new ramps, and some widening of existing lanes. The estimated completion date is mid-2013. The new east-facing ramps at Herring Road should reduce demand for Epping Road by allowing some Macquarie Park traffic to use the Motorway and the Lane Cove Tunnel without having to travel on Epping Road. The widening should attract more traffic to use the Motorway, protecting Epping Road from the full extent of future traffic increases.



Source: Hills M2 Motorway, Transurban

Figure 4.12 M2 Motorway widening project

In addition to the current M2 Motorway widening works, TfNSW and DP&I are currently assessing the addition of a new eastbound on-ramp from Lane Cove Road to the M2 Motorway and an additional lane between this new ramp and the Delhi Road off-ramp, as shown in Figure 4.13.

Source: Hills M2 Motorway, Transurban

Figure 4.13 Proposed Lane Cove Road eastbound on-ramp and third lane



4.6 Traffic volumes

Traffic data from several sources were used to obtain an understanding of current traffic conditions, including, RMS data, traffic counts commissioned for this assessment, and traffic data from previous studies and reports. The source and date of the traffic data are provided in Table 4.12.

Table 4.12 Description of key roads in the local network

Intersection Traffic data source Date of survey

Rivett Road/Lucknow Road Traffic count Wednesday 31st August 2011

Julius Avenue/Rivett Road Previous study1 Wednesday 20th September 2006

Delhi Road/Julius Avenue/Plassey Road RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

Delhi Road/Road 38 (The Leighton Way) RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

Delhi Road/M2 Motorway Ramps RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

Epping Road/Delhi Road RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

Epping Road/Pittwater Road RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

Epping Road/Wicks Road RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

Waterloo Road/Wicks Road Traffic count Thursday 20th October, 2011

Lane Cove Road/Waterloo Road RMS SCATS data 28th and 29th March 2011

(1) Source: Traffic and Parking Assessment for 27–37 Delhi Road, North Ryde (John Coady Consulting Pty Ltd, January 2007)

The 2011 AM and PM peak hour estimated traffic volumes (in vehicles) are shown in Figures 4.14 and 4.15.



Figure 4.14 2011 AM peak hour traffic volumes (total vehicles)



Figure 4.15 2011 PM peak hour traffic volumes (total vehicles)



RMS published traffic volume data for major roads in Sydney, generally at three yearly intervals. Traffic counts were taken around the road network at selected locations. Some locations are counted continuously throughout the year. Others are counted for one or two week periods, and then adjusted depending on the time of year using the results from the continuously counted sites. In the vicinity of the North Ryde project, RMS data were available at several locations, as listed in Table 4.13.

Table 4.13 Historic traffic count data

Road Location 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008

Epping Road Intersection with Pittwater Road 81,888 - 70,242 74,874 79,051 - Epping Road Intersection with Wicks Road - 98,114 88,275 80,981 83,738 - Epping Road Eastbound ramps to Lane Cove Road 21,608 23,861 25,778 25,575 28,166 - Epping Road Westbound ramps to Lane Cove Road 10,599 11,565 11,372 11,797 11,981 - Epping Road South of Wicks Road - 92,588 81,413 75,257 76,798 76,700 Epping Road West of M2 Motorway terminal - - 63,060 62,992 69,644 - Delhi Road East of Epping Road - - 85,355 - 90,048 - Delhi Road East of M2 Motorway 26,039 26,655 30,161 29,013 32,260 - Wicks Road North of Collins Street 19,231 19,556 19,372 17,281 21,075 - Lane Cove Road Intersection with Talavera Road 67,781 72,450 75,713 73,069 75,671 - Lane Cove Road North of Lorna Avenue - 52,122 58,478 58,145 63,200 63,120

The numbers for Epping Road presented in Table 4.13 show the impact of the opening of the M2 Motorway in 1997, with volumes dropping from around 95,000 vpd to 80,000 vpd. However, the Epping Road ramp volumes at Lane Cove Road were largely unaffected. Delhi Road and Wicks Road volumes have been steadily increasing with additional development in the Macquarie Park area. Traffic volumes at the two sites recorded in 2008 have showed no growth since 2005.

In general, there was no consistent trend on traffic demand, with the traffic volume some roads rising and dropping between successive counts. The AADT volumes were plotted against the year and a line of best fit calculated. The gradient of this line represents the growth rate for that road over that 15 year time period. The growth rates per annum calculated were:

Epping Road — 1.2%

Lane Cove Road — 2.1%

Wicks Road — 2.5%

Delhi Road — 2.2%.

While there have been traffic volume increases and decreases, overall the roads studied have generally increased. Traffic volume changes over time are a function of several variables, including changing travel patterns, city-wide urban density increases and the amount of development occurring in the area.



4.7 Intersection performance

Due to the number of arterial roads intersecting, relatively high traffic volumes and complex traffic movements, many of the intersections in the area surrounding the Project sites are controlled by traffic signals. Figure 4.16 shows the intersection types for selected intersections near the Project.

Figure 4.16 Location of intersections and method of control



The performance of the intersections was modelled initially using the SIDRA intersection analysis computer program (see Section 9 for more detailed modelling). The analysis is preliminary and used assumptions to determine the sensitivity of the scheme. SIDRA calculates intersection performance using measures such as:

level of service (LoS)

degree of saturation (DoS)

average intersection delay

queue length.

These terms are more fully explained in Appendix A. The results for the AM and PM peak hours are shown in Table 4.14.

Table 4.14 Existing situation intersection performance

Intersection Intersection control1 DoS

Average Delay

(sec/veh) LoS Queue

(m)

AM peak hour TCS 2993 - Plassey Road/Delhi Road Signals 1.00 31 C 665

TCS 4194 - Delhi Road/Road 38 Signals 0.94 5 A 372

TCS 3160 - Delhi Road/M2 Interchange Signals 1.08 41 C 579

TCS 551 - Epping Road/Delhi Road Signals 1.10 68 E 1,064

TCS 794 - Pittwater Road/Epping Road Signals 1.01 61 E 747

TCS 226 - Epping Road/Wicks Road Signals 2.05 303 F 1,533

Waterloo Road/Wicks Road Give-way Priority 0.81 32 C 57

TCS 1012 - Lane Cove Road/Waterloo Road Signals 1.21 141 F 1,058

TCS 195 - Epping Road - Lane Cove Road Signals 1.47 117 F 736

Rivett Road/Lucknow Road Give-way Priority 0.47 26 B 5

PM peak hour TCS 2993 - Plassey Road/Delhi Road Signals 0.91 29 C 299

TCS 4194 - Delhi Road/Road 38 Signals 0.83 7 A 201

TCS 3160 - Delhi Road/M2 Interchange Signals 1.78 133 F 1,071

TCS 551 - Epping Road/Delhi Road Signals 1.11 86 F 1,014

TCS 794 - Pittwater Road/Epping Road Signals 1.10 37 C 421

TCS 226 - Epping Road/Wicks Road Signals 1.41 269 F 1,323

Waterloo Road/Wicks Road Give-way Priority 1.06 87 F 380

TCS 1012 - Lane Cove Road/Waterloo Road Signals 1.10 80 F 537

TCS 195 - Epping Road - Lane Cove Road Signals 1.43 296 F 1,319

Rivett Road/Lucknow Road Give-way Priority 0.19 14 A 6

(1) Note: Average delay for priority sign controlled intersections is for the worst movement. For traffic signal and roundabout intersections, this is the average delay for the entire intersection.



The results indicate that the following intersections are operating with unsatisfactory level of delays and with long queues during both AM and PM peak hours:

Delhi Road and M2 Ramps

Epping Road and Delhi Road

Epping Road and Wicks Road

Lane Cove Road and Waterloo Road

Lane Cove Road and Epping Road.

The intersections of Epping Road/Pittwater Road and Waterloo Road/Wicks Road are showing unacceptable levels of delay during AM and PM peak hours, respectively.

The congested conditions on Delhi Road have resulted in SIDRA under-predicting the level of congestion. This is potentially due to the slow-moving columns of traffic resulting in lower throughput, whereas SIDRA assumes that vehicles can proceed through at a reasonable velocity.

4.8 Traffic conditions

The roads around the Macquarie Park area experience congested traffic conditions during the morning and afternoon weekday periods and during the weekend peak (especially around the Macquarie Shopping Centre). The complex crossing pattern of traffic movement paths places a strain on the traffic signal system. Some observations include:

When traffic builds up on Epping Road, the queue of vehicles arriving from the previous intersection reach the next intersection before the queue of vehicles has completely dissipated. This creates a ‘rolling wave’ of vehicles moving in each direction.

Traffic on Delhi Road moves slowly due to the interruption to flow from the multiple sets of traffic signals, and the merge down to one lane, east of Julius Avenue.

The moving queue of vehicles on Delhi Road extends back to Epping Road during the morning peak period. While in the PM peak, the queue of vehicles turning right onto Epping Road extends.

Traffic volumes on Wicks Road and Waterloo Road are influenced by conditions on Epping Road and Lane Cove Road. Through and local traffic are able change their route choice depending on the prevailing traffic conditions on the day.

Typically, queues form on Wicks Road and Waterloo Road during the afternoon peak, as vehicles leave the area.

Vehicles leaving the Riverside Corporate Park in the PM peak experience delays and queues getting onto Delhi Road and Epping Road.



Travel time surveys were undertaken on Wednesday 31 August 2011 between 7.00 am and 9.00 am during the AM peak hour and between 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm during the PM peak hour. The travel time surveys were undertaken along the following road sections:

Epping Road eastbound, between east of Lane Cove Road and east of Pittwater Road

Epping Road westbound, between west of Pittwater Road and east of Lane Cove Road

Delhi Road – Waterloo Road eastbound, between east of Waterloo Road and east of Julius Avenue

Delhi Road – Waterloo Road westbound, between west of Julius Avenue and east of Waterloo Road.

The results are given in Table 4.15. They are a snapshot a single day only. They show that the PM peak generally flows better than the AM peak on the main roads. However, the congested situation in the afternoon peak is compounded by delays getting onto the arterial road network. These typically create slower journey times leaving the area in the PM peak.

Table 4.15 Travel time survey

Road section AM peak average

speed (km/h)

AM peak average

travel time

PM peak average

speed (km/h)

PM peak average

travel time

Epping Road from Lane Cove Road to Pittwater Road (eastbound) 11 0:08:01 20 0:04:17

Epping Road from Pittwater Road to Lane Cove Road (westbound) 17 0:04:50 21 0:04:03

Waterloo Road at Lane Cove Road to Delhi Road at Julius Avenue (eastbound) 15 0:09:35 22 0:06:33

Delhi Road at Julius Avenue to Waterloo Road at Lane Cove Road (westbound)

14 0:10:12 18 0:08:01

4.9 Parking

Parking on the streets surrounding the Project sites is generally limited and in high demand. Observations of local parking conditions include:

Parking is prohibited on the arterial road network.

On-street parking within the Riverside Business Park is a mixture of unrestricted parking and two hour parking, and is generally in high demand with few available spaces at peak times. Off-street parking is generally allocated to individual businesses.

The TfNSW owned Station Site North and M2 Sites are currently being used as a site office and construction compound, respectively, for the M2 Motorway widening project. The staff parking on this site is temporary and will be removed when construction is complete.

The OSL Site is currently occupied by a tennis complex. The on-site parking is used for mini-buses and patrons of this facility.

Off-street public parking is provided for Blenheim Park.

The RMS Site is currently occupied by three freestanding dwellings with on-site parking.



Parking near the M2 Site is controlled by the Macquarie Park Parking Area. Weekday parking is available for a fee, with restrictions of two hour limits for visitors and 12 hours for commuter parking. Weekend parking is unrestricted.

The Macquarie Park Corridor Parking Study (ARUP, November 2009) indicated that the Macquarie Park area had off-street car parking space for approximately 85% of the 32,000 employees working in the area (excluding Macquarie shopping centre parking). The report concluded that the existing parking rates are generous when compared against other centres (which also have higher levels of public transport).

4.10 Summary of transport network issues

Based on this assessment, the issues with existing transport conditions are:

congested arterial roads, with slower moving traffic during the AM peak and extended delays leaving the area in the PM peak

road network operating at or very close to its capacity

a high provision of parking creating difficult conditions to implement successful strategies to boost public transport use

growing use of North Ryde train station, but from a low base number, partially due to dispersed land use, the high parking supply and difficulties for pedestrians accessing the train stations

busy bus corridor providing a frequent service, but also affected by traffic conditions

local and regional pedestrian and cycle infrastructure of variable quality (with some links/facilities absent), whose use is hampered by the barrier effect of the busy arterial roads.



5. Strategic context Several State and Local Government planning studies have identified the MPC as a specialised centre. The most recent long-term transport and land use plans reinforce its importance in Sydney’s future as an employment centre. This section reviews relevant plans, strategies and studies and uses this information and the existing conditions to provide a strategic assessment of the transport situation in the area.

5.1 State planning context

The Project has adopted the principles of transit-oriented development to maximise its contribution to the sustainable development targets established in the region’s strategic plans. These are outlined in this section.

Draft NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan (Transport for NSW, September, 2012)

The draft NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan (LTTMP) provides a framework for addressing

transport challenges over the next 20 years focussed on the following eight objectives:

improving quality of service

improving liveability by improving connectivity and customer service in major cities and activity centres

supporting economic growth and productivity by providing a transport system that more efficient and enhances connectivity

improving safety and security

reducing social disadvantage by improving access to goods, services, and employment and education opportunities

improving sustainability through optimising the transport network, easing congestion and growing the proportion of travel by sustainable modes such as public transport, walking and cycling; and

strengthening transport planning process through improved integrated transport and land use planning and evidence based planning.

The draft LTTMP retains Macquarie Park’s ‘specialised centre’ status from previous plans and identifies it as a location of significant future employment growth. The LTTMP seeks to support employment growth in growth and economic centres. One barrier to this growth is a forecast increase in travel times due to road congestion. For example, the travel time between Rouse Hill and Macquarie Park is forecast to increase by around 20 minutes for cars and slightly less for buses.

To assess the most critical areas of need for transport, the LTTMP analyses the transport task in Sydney by identifying major transport corridors. Macquarie Park is located at the end of six of the main demand corridors, including ones from: Rouse Hill (via Castle Hill), Parramatta, Rhodes, Sydney CBD (via Gladesville), Sydney CBD (via Chatswood and St Leonards) and Mona Vale. Improvements and strategies to address the issues within the corridor are sought by investigating all modes.



The LTTMP adopts the rail improvements identified in Sydney’s Rail Future as well as foreshadowing a redesign of Sydney’s bus network, along with improvements to other modes. The Project supports the goal in the Plan to promote TOD-style developments along the North West Rail Line (NWRL). Access to employment within Macquarie Park (and the Project) is improved by the NWRL, which will provide access from around 300,000 residents along the corridor to Rouse Hill. The planned pedestrian improvements, including the Delhi Road shared pedestrian and cycle bridge and improvements to pedestrian access from the Station to Epping Road assist with the Plan’s goal to provide priority pedestrian access around public transport.

Studies have indicated the following bus corridors require additional bus priority work:

Castle Hill to the City via Macquarie Park

Parramatta to City via Macquarie Park and North Sydney.

Major planned transport projects are indicated in the Figure 5.1.

Source: Draft NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan, 2012

Figure 5.1 Transport improvements identified in the Draft NSW Long Term Transport Master Plan (2012)



Sydney’s Rail Future (Transport for NSW, June 2012)

This long-term strategy document for Sydney’s rail system presents projections of employment in Sydney’s metropolitan area by 2031 that identifies the Macquarie Park area as the fourth largest employment centre with 58,000 employees, after Sydney CBD, Parramatta and North Sydney (although at a lower density than other centres). Sydney’s expanding population is expected to drive an increase in rail passenger demand on a system which is limited by line bottlenecks and train/platform crowding. The Project supports this plan by locating future employment and residential development within easy walking distance from North Ryde Station.

A three-tier system is proposed, including a ‘rapid transit network’ of new single-deck trains, a suburban network of the current double-deck trains, and the intercity network. A new second Sydney Harbour crossing is planned to relieve the current bottleneck of services entering the CBD from the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The ECRL that services North Ryde Station and Macquarie Park Station will be located on the ‘tier 1’ rapid transit network. This will involve more frequent trains with fewer seats but higher standing capacity. The frequency of trains through North Ryde Station is planned to triple from four per hour to 12 per hour. These trains would link to the NWRL, allow interchange at Chatswood, St Leonards and North Sydney and cross the Harbour in the new second link, travelling through the city and linking up with the busy Bankstown Line.

NSW 2021, a 10-year plan (NSW Government, 6 September 2011)

The plan contains targets for improving transport services and shifting trips away from the use of private vehicles towards public transport, walking and cycling. It refers to the Macquarie Park area as a particular target for growth supported by improvements in transport. The plan also calls for job growth in centres close to where people live.

To improve transport efficiency and service quality, the plan includes the goals of:

improving the efficiency of the road network during peak times on Sydney’s road corridors

minimising public transport waiting times for customers

improving service reliability to grow patronage on public transport.

As reported in Section 2.2, the project has adopted the mode share targets from NSW 2021. As discussed in Section 6.1, it is anticipated that the public transport mode share for journeys to work will be significantly higher than the 28% target in this plan.

Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 (NSW Government, December 2010)

The Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 is a long-term land use, urban and transport plan. It identifies the location of future urban development and the strategic transport corridors and major centres to become the focus of commercial and residential growth in the future. The Plan aims to locate 80% of all new housing within the walking catchments of existing and planned centres (of all sizes) with good access to public transport. The North Ryde project is therefore compatible with this plan as it involves high density with good access to both North Ryde Station and the bus network.



It identifies Macquarie Park as a ‘Specialised Centre’ for information and communication technology. North Ryde is considered a ‘Town Centre’ which acts as a neighbourhood focal point. The Macquarie Park area is identified as part of the global economic corridor, whose 2006 base employment was 39,000, and which is forecast to grow to 58,000 by 2036. The Plan includes the development of a transport corridor from Macquarie Park to Hurstville via Sydney Olympic Park or Burwood.

The NSW Government is developing a new Metropolitan Strategy that will become the overarching plan to manage growth over the next two decades. Until the new Metropolitan Strategy is finalised, the Metropolitan Plan will continue to apply as the basis for land use and infrastructure planning of lands within the MPC.

Inner North Subregion: Draft Subregional Strategy (NSW Government, 2007)

This Strategy considers the implications of the predecessor of the Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 for the Inner North Subregion. It identifies that Macquarie Park is a ‘specialised centre’ with a metropolitan–wide attraction as a technology-based business park.

The Strategy assessed that Macquarie Park currently held 32,200 jobs within the existing floor space of 800,000 m². However, when fully developed, Macquarie Park could provide a further 900,000 m² of commercial/office floor space (a potential total of 1,700,000 m² under current planning controls) and therefore has a potential total employment of 55,300 jobs in the centre by 2031. When placed in the context of the current levels of traffic congestion, this scale of expansion would place a large strain on transport resources, and would require a large shift in travel behaviour to higher capacity modes to achieve liveable outcomes.

With the ECRL, which was identified as encouraging future expansion of the Macquarie Park area, the Strategy recommends that the State Government and City of Ryde Council should investigate a range of measures to encourage an uptake of public transport, including a review of parking provisions, improving bus connections, and high quality cycle and pedestrian access to and through the centre.

The Project has been developed with restricted parking provisions, good connections to bus services and new high quality pedestrian and cycle connections and facilities and car share to reduce the need for car ownership. Locating new residences within easy walking distance of surrounding employment, further reduces the need for the use of private vehicles.

Macquarie Park Transport Management and Accessibility Plan (Maunsell and PBAI, May 2002)

This report was prepared for the MPC for Planning NSW and Ryde City Council. It describes the development and infrastructure provision over the next fifteen to twenty years for Macquarie Park area. The study considered three future development scenarios, one of which included modified zonings to allow a greater mix of activities and greater density surrounding the railway stations. The recommended package of measures is listed in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 Macquarie Park TMAP Package of measures

Measure Detail

Policy

Parking Policy Prepare comprehensive Transport DCP (or equivalent) to address needs of all transport modes

Reduce parking provision rates

Pedestrian and Cyclist Integrate pedestrian and cyclist planning principles into Transport DCP

Make pedestrian and cycle planning issues fundamental priorities



Measure Detail

Workplace Travel Plans (WTPs)

Require Workplace Travel Plans for all new developments and tenants

Fund pilot program for implementation of WTPs

Transport Services

Bus Services

Investigate potential for improved bus services in Lane Cove Road-Ryde Road corridor

Provide improved services in response to new bus priority measures

Commence planning for post-Parramatta Rail Link bus service structure

Rail Services As per Parramatta Rail Link proposal

Infrastructure

Pedestrian Upgrades Implement comprehensive pedestrian infrastructure upgrade

Resolve station access issues for pedestrians and cyclists

Bicycle Upgrades Implement comprehensive bicycle infrastructure upgrade

Road Upgrades Selected intersection improvements

Reduced capacity and enhanced design for Waterloo Road

Public Transport Information

Implement comprehensive public transport information system at all bus stops and key retail locations

Signage Provide comprehensive directional signage system for pedestrians and cyclists

Bus Priority Implement bus priority measures at nominated key intersections

Source: Macquarie Park Transport Management and Accessibility Plan (Maunsell and PBAI, 2002)

The comprehensive transport DCP was largely covered by the City of Ryde Integrated Transport Land Use Strategy, Centre Report for Macquarie Park (PBAI, August 2007) (see section 5.2 for more details). However, a new comprehensive transport study is being considered by government that will update and supersede the 2007 study. The TOD objectives are compatible with those of the Macquarie Park TMAP and the package of measures above. In some instances, the proximity to North Ryde Station and Epping Road buses has allowed targets for the Project to be more restrictive on private vehicle travel than those adopted in the Macquarie Park TMAP.

The report recommended the following key features for the Macquarie Park Area:

reduce the carriageway of Waterloo Road to provide ‘boulevard’ like treatment

bus priority be provided on Epping Road, Lane Cove Road and Waterloo Road*

grade separation of the Waterloo Road and Lane Cove Road intersection

a roundabout at the Waterloo Road and Wicks Road intersection

cycle routes be provided on Wicks Road and Waterloo Road from Wicks Road to Khartoum Road*.

Items marked with an asterisk have subsequently been implemented.



5.2 Local planning and strategies

The MPC has featured in several recent studies concentrating on future land use and transport, cycling, traffic and parking.

Structure plan

During consultation for this project, CoR requested the adoption of the road structure plan from Part 4.5 of the Development Control Plan (DCP 2010), as shown in Figure 5.2. The DCP road structure plan identified the position and cross-section of existing and proposed streets within the Macquarie Park area, including streets within the Project sites.

The proposed Project road network is broadly similar with the structure plan in that it includes:

the extension of Waterloo Road with a cross-section similar to that of Type 2

the provision for connection of paper roads running parallel to Epping Road and Waterloo Road through land not owned by TfNSW

the connection of Road 38 to Delhi Road

the connection to the Riverside Corporate Park

a pedestrian and cycle crossing of the M2 Motorway, although not in the position proposed.

However, there are differences to the structure plan including:

no vehicle connection to Delhi Road from the Waterloo Road extension

left-in only connection to Epping Road from the Waterloo Road extension along the M2 Site frontage

no connection of Road 38 to Epping Road.

All three differences listed are due to the elements of the structure plan not being supported by TfNSW and RMS as they are considered to encourage through traffic reducing the urban amenity within the Project sites. The proposed location of the shared pedestrian and cycle bridge over the M2 Motorway in the structure plan is considered to be off the pedestrian and cycle desire line, and leads people into the Northern Suburbs Cemetery, which could be a deterrent to night-time use. The proposed location in the Project improves the accessibility of North Ryde Station and connects the two largest sites within the Project, improving its TOD qualities.



Source: City of Ryde DCP 2010

Figure 5.2 Structure plan for Macquarie Park



City of Ryde Local Planning Study (City of Ryde, December 2010)

The study was prepared by City of Ryde Council to guide future growth in Ryde over the next 10 years and provide sustainable transportation recommendations to reduce and manage traffic congestion within the City. Council proposed a reduction in car dependency and an improvement in public transport, walking and cycling facilities.

To achieve this, the report contained recommendations for transport and land use planning, parking, travel demand management, centres planning and corridor planning. These recommendations included:

reducing car dependency through development that supports the use of public transport, cycling and walking

encouraging land use patterns that reduce the length of trips and the need for car travel

increasing transit oriented development to provide more use of rail services without encouraging more car use

supporting sustainable transport through provision of mixed land use

offering designated taxi, park and ride and kiss and ride facilities

providing additional bicycle parking facilities in the parking domain

reviewing parking ratios to comply with the RMS guidelines for rail centres

facilitating a 40/60 modal split target (assume40% public transport) for the journey to work by 2020

reviewing existing parking spaces and time limits within the centres to discourage car use

reviewing locations of off-street parking in commercial areas

controlling parking to discourage long stay commuter parking in public transport accessible areas.

City of Ryde Integrated Transport Land Use Strategy, Centre Report for Macquarie Park (PBAI, August 2007)

City of Ryde Integrated Transport Land Use Strategy, Centre Report for Macquarie Park accompanied the City Wide Integrated Transport and Land Use Strategy. The report discussed current and proposed development over the next 40 years with the following conclusions:

Current development

900,000 m2 commercial space could generate 45,000 workers

78,000 m2 Macquarie University space could generate 3,900 workers

32,500 Macquarie University students and staff.

Proposed additional development

1.35million m2 of commercial space could generate 68,000 workers

600,000 m2 Macquarie University space could generate 30,000 workers



22,500 more Macquarie University students and staff.

Based on the Bureau of Transport Statistics’ Strategic Travel Model (STM), the percentage of car trips contained within the Macquarie Park area is due to remain relatively static at around 20%. The number of public transport trips contained within the area is forecast to drop from 16% to 7%, indicating that the future Macquarie Park area is expected to draw its employees from further afield.

In terms of transport, the report recommended following actions for Macquarie Park:

increase off peak bus frequencies

connect to Sydney Olympic Park (SOP) town centre

provide taxi pick up/set down areas

investigate opportunities to provide pedestrian crossings on Epping Road, Herring Road and Lane Cove Road

consider potential new footpaths at:

Julius Street and Rivett Street, south and east sides

Wicks Road, both sides, north of Waterloo Road

Delhi Road, both sides, near North Ryde Station

Pittwater Road, east side, south of Epping Road.

The report outlined the on-street parking with time restrictions provided in Macquarie Park. However, no additional public car parking facilities were proposed by Council in this area.

Ryde Bicycle Strategy and Master Plan (City of Ryde, October 2007)

The Bicycle Strategy aims to make cycling easier and more attractive in Ryde and to reduce the community’s car use, especially for local or short distance trips. Figure 5.3 shows the proposed bicycle network that was developed as part of the bicycle strategy for the area surrounding the Project.

The Strategy aims to:

increase the level of cycling in Ryde by 50–100% during the remainder of the current decade and into the next. This applies to: rides to work/school and rides to key centres

improve and upgrade the cycling environment

enhance cycling safety

promote the benefits and advantages of cycling.

The most important element of the cycle plan is the creation of a new local route through the M2 Site from Epping Road to the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road as an extension of the current Waterloo Road and Wicks Roads cycleways. The remaining cycleways are already in operation. While the proposed cycle network for the Project enables cycle access from the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road to Epping Road, the primary cycle route through the site connects to the shared pedestrian and cycle bridge over Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway.



Source: Ryde Bicycle Strategy and Master Plan, 2007

Figure 5.3 Proposed bicycle network for the City of Ryde

Macquarie Park Pedestrian Movement Study

The Macquarie Park Pedestrian Movement Study (Space Syntax, 2009) outlines a fine-grained permeable network of streets based on the Macquarie Park Structure Plan. The proposed pedestrian structure plan is shown in Figure 5. 4.

Aside from some similarities and differences in the street network (discussed earlier), the structure plan proposes new signalised crossings at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road (adopted in the Project) and a new pedestrian bridge across Epping Road at Pittwater Road. This proposed bridge would improve the connection of the residential areas south of Epping Road to North Ryde Station. It is included in the package of measures recommended for this study as a strategic transport project for further investigation.



Source: Macquarie Park Pedestrian Movement Study (Space Syntax, 2009)

Figure 5.4 Macquarie Park Pedestrian Structure Plan



The Project’s proposed initiatives exceed the requirements of the Macquarie Park Pedestrian Structure Plan with the shared pedestrian and cycle bridge over Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway.

Macquarie Park Traffic Study (Bitzios Consulting, July 2008)

The Macquarie Park Traffic Study was undertaken to test the traffic implications of the proposed Local Environment Plan (LEP) 2008 and recommend a package of road upgrades to facilitate traffic performance. The key features of the study are described here. Some details of the model are summarised below.

A Paramics microsimulation model was developed for a 2007 base year with increased with development and background traffic to 2031.

Traffic forecasts from other models were incorporated, such as the Bureau of Transport Statistics’ strategic Sydney Travel Model (STM) and Transurban’s M2 Model.

The modelling assumed an increase in the public transport mode share for the area from 23% in 2007 to 40% in 2031. As a result, traffic volumes did not grow significantly, with the exception of trips to Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, east of Lane Cove Road, using the M2 Motorway and Lane Cove Road.

An increase in through trips from 9,000 vph in 2007 to 18,000 in 2031. Lane Cove Road and the M2 Motorway were forecast to experience significant growth, with Epping Road and Delhi Road being controlled not increasing as much.

Road upgrades

Major road upgrades were tested in the model. Of these projects modelled, the following are likely to have the greatest influence on traffic conditions around the Project:

M2 and Waterloo Road Ramps influenced the split of traffic between Epping Road and Waterloo Road, but did not fit geometrically with the existing Delhi Road on-ramp

widening Waterloo Road to four lanes to provide additional space for vehicles at intersections

the connection of Road 38 to the Epping and Pittwater Road intersection would involve a major road upgrade, with intersection widening at each end – including six lanes at Epping/Pittwater and five lanes at Delhi/Road 38

Delhi Road widened to two lanes eastbound, three westbound, with dual right-turn lanes into Road 38

new east-facing ramps in the M2 Motorway at Herring Road

a new grade separated right turn from Epping Road to Delhi Road

additional turn lanes at Epping Road and Wicks Road.

Many of these road changes are modifications to the arterial road network. To date RMS has not endorsed the majority of these changes. It is noted that the grade-separated right-turn at the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road would be in spatial conflict with the pedestrian overbridge planned as part of this Project. This pedestrian bridge is extremely important to the success of the development on the M2 Site, and to achieving the required mode share changes for nearly 4,120 residents and 1,050 employees.



Fine grained road network

A fine-grained road network was planned in Macquarie Park to break-up the large blocks and create a more permeable street network, especially for pedestrians. Three levels of connection to the road network were tested:

least restrictive (with a high degree of connection to arterial roads)

most restrictive (no change to current level of access onto arterial roads)

moderately restrictive (somewhere in between).

The most restrictive level of connection requires vehicles to travel longer distances, whereas the least restrictive would result in increased congestion.

Access intersections analysed in the Macquarie Park Traffic Study for the Project sites included:

full signalised access of the M2 Site onto Epping Road

upgrade to Waterloo Road/Wicks Road

connection onto Road 38.

Macquarie Park Corridor Parking Study (ARUP, November 2009)

This study was undertaken to evaluate the current impact of plans to amend/reduce demand for parking in LEP137 (and other existing parking measures) on the economic viability and sustainability of the commercial sector in MPC; and recommend parking rates for commercial development.

The report discussed the current distribution of the workforce within the Macquarie Park area and considered ABS 2006 Census Journey to Work data for a total of 32,000 employees within the area. The distribution of this workforce indicates:

14% travelling locally within the LGA of Ryde

38% travelling to and from LGAs to the east of Ryde

48% travelling to and from LGAs to the west of Ryde

approximately 59% of the workforce travel relatively long distances (10 km or more).

The existing car parking rates for MPC were as follows:

1 space/80 m2 – within 400 m of rail station

1 space/70 m2 – within Waterloo Road Corridor

1 space/46 m2 – net usable floor space in remaining areas of Macquarie Park.

The commercial precincts of the study area currently have over 31,500 off-street car parking spaces with 4,100 more located within the Macquarie shopping centre with 1,300 on-street spaces. It assessed that additional on-street is parking available within or adjoining the North Ryde – Delhi Road business area.



The report indicated the Macquarie Park area had approximately one off-street car parking space for each employee (i.e. 31,500 car parking spaces available for 32,000 employees). Excluding the Macquarie shopping centre parking, there is still parking for around 85% of employees. This high level of supply makes it more difficult for strategies to increase public transport usage to succeed.

The report concluded that the existing parking rates are generous when compared against other centres (which also have higher levels of public transport). However, no specific changes to the rates listed above were given, apart from a timetable for review.

5.3 Strategic assessment

The strategic transport network that supports the specialised centre of Macquarie Park has been subject to increasing pressure and congestion over the past 10 years. Following on from the assessment of existing conditions in Section 3, other likely causes of this network congestion include:

cumulative development approvals made without significant local and arterial road network upgrades

a historical use of generous parking rates for industrial sites which are now predominantly office/commercial land uses

constrained performance of road based public transport through a congested road network and a lack of continuous bus priority

limited success of travel demand management measures to date

Whilst the introduction of the ECRL through the centre provided the infrastructure to support sustainable travel behaviours, the uptake of rail services to date has been slow. Recent planning for improved bus services to Macquarie Park is consistent with the strategy to replace car journeys with public transport trips. However, the reliability of these bus services is compromised by congestion on both the local and arterial road network. Due to the lack of capacity, the opportunities to introduce continuous bus priority measures are limited without severely constraining the network capacity for the remaining traffic.

5.3.1 Local site constraints

The constraints specific to the Project sites are directly related to the sub-regional transport network constraints, as the sites are located at the junction of key arterial roads. The constraints experienced at the sites are the same as those experienced throughout Macquarie Park. The site specific transport network challenges include:

lack of space to make significant road network improvements

the cumulative impact of closely spaced intersections and motorway ramps

marginal improvements made to the road network are likely to be utilised by latent demand for road capacity in the Macquarie Park specialised centre, through traffic and adjacent developments, providing little benefit to the planned development sites themselves

adjacent developments such as the Riverside Corporate Park have been approved with significant amounts of parking which would create an inequitable commercial proposition for the new development, based upon applying significantly lower rates of parking provision

the ability to place stops for high frequency bus services in reasonable walking distance of the development sites is difficult due to the spatial requirements for intersections and turning lanes.



5.3.2 Network improvement opportunities

The opportunities to improve the public transport network are focussed on the new connections to the rail network including the NWRL and the potential for the site to support key bus corridors accessing Macquarie Park. This project would open up new direct rail connections to areas that are currently dominated by private vehicle use, would support east-west connections and services through Macquarie Park to the site, and could provide areas for short term layover of buses between services on site.

To achieve the substantial improvement in the transport situation at Macquarie Park and North Ryde, direction is required in the following three elements of transport planning.

Infrastructure improvements

A substantial road upgrade program tied to significant bus priority measures and improvements for pedestrians and cyclists could deliver the required increase in road capacity and network reliability needed to support further high density commercial development and the likely increase in through–traffic. This would also support connections to other centres through the expansion of cross-regional and local bus networks.

Parking policy

A review of local parking policies is required to address the inadequacy of the current policies which are not restricting the level of traffic generation or achieving a desirable level of cultural shift to public transport. The development of a metropolitan wide parking strategy, which influences the commercial competitiveness of centres, would also support this important tool in constraining the level of private vehicle use for journeys to work.

Transport strategy

A comprehensive transport strategy is required from state government to support the growth targets identified for this end of the ‘Global Arc’ economic corridor. The strategy should focus on substantial infrastructure upgrades and progressive parking policies that are set in the context of metropolitan wide development.

5.4 Stakeholder consultation

Stakeholder consultation was undertaken as part of the project planning process with the relevant agencies including RMS, STA, CoR and Transurban. The results of the consultation have been embedded in the planning of the project. They are identified where relevant in sections 6, 7, 8 and 9.



6. Transport analysis and design The transport impacts of the Project have been assessed on the external transport network and within the site boundary. This section describes the analysis methods and the results of the analysis. The relevant aspects of the Project design are described to show how they address the transport requirements.

6.1 Trip generation

Trip generation has been estimated for each land use envisaged for the Precinct type using published rates and travel information from BTS’ Household Travel Survey (HTS). Rates are traditionally quoted in terms of vehicle trips instead of total trips by all modes. They are also based on a set of assumptions on mode split that are not necessarily applicable to the circumstances of the Project. To use rates that are applicable to the TOD–style development and its position in the public transport network, and to allow the number of trips made by other modes to be calculated, the traditional car traffic generation rates have been converted to total trip generation rates.

Residential

BTS’ Household Travel Survey is a good source of travel behaviour information for the future residents of the Project. The residential trip generation rate has been calculated assuming:

4.0 average trips per person per weekday1

11% of trips during the AM peak hour2.

Based on the average number of people per dwelling planned for the Project, the rate per dwelling is estimated as 6.97 trips per day and 0.77 trips per dwelling during the peak hour. After mode split and trip purpose calculations, this rate equates to 0.23 vehicle trips per dwelling during the peak hour. Given the anticipated low average occupation of around 1.73 people per dwelling, restricted parking provision and good access to public transport for the Project, this rate compares reasonably to the published RMS’ Guide to Traffic Generating Developments Version 2.2 (2002) rate of 0.24 to 0.29 trips per dwelling during the peak hour.

For the purposes of this assessment, the residential trip generation rate per dwelling has been assumed to apply to the serviced apartments and student housing dwellings. Therefore if the final land use mix includes more residential apartments instead of serviced apartments or student housing, the outcome of this assessment would not be affected. Due to a late change in the sizing of serviced apartments and student housing, the trip generation has been based on 118 serviced apartments and 150 student accommodation dwellings, i.e. slightly more than the bed numbers outlined in Table 3.1.

Commercial (office)

Traffic generation rates from the RMS’ Guide to Traffic Generating Developments, Version 2.2 for office were converted to daily and peak trip rates (all modes) using mode split assumptions from the RMS Guide, as well as overall mode share for residences of 55% car driver from the 2009 release of HTS data.

1 Household Travel Survey Summary Report - 2010 Release (BTS, June 2010) – averaged for selected inner city

and north shore council areas 2 Calculated from Figure 3.10.3 motorised (unlinked) trips for selected modes by time of day, average weekday,

2009/10 of Household Travel Survey Summary Report - 2011 Release (BTS, August 2011)



The standard RMS rates are 10 daily vehicle trips per 100 m2 GFA and 2 vehicle trips per 100 m2 GFA during the evening peak hour. This is based on sites with a:

62% car mode split and an average vehicle occupancy of 1.19 persons per vehicle (i.e. 52% car driver mode share)

one parking space per 40 m2 GFA

4.75 employees per 100 m2 GFA or 21 m2 GFA per employee.

Assuming 30 m2 GFA per employee to better reflect the anticipated employee density for the Project, these rates have been converted to all-mode trip numbers as follows:

13.5 daily trips per 100 m2 GFA

2.7 trips per 100 m2 GFA during the evening peak hour.

The peak hour rate equates to 81% of employees travelling during the peak hour.

Retail

Similarly, the RMS rate for a small shopping centre (i.e. less than 10,000 m2) has been converted to an all-mode trip generation rate. The RMS detailed retail trip generation formula, based on the estimated floor area of supermarket, speciality stores and office/medical was used to calculate a rate for the retail within the Project. These were then converted to total (all-mode) trips based on sites with a 49% car driver mode share. This equated to:

136.1 daily trips per 100 m2 GFA

14.5 trips per 100 m2 GFA during the Thursday evening peak hour.

Community centre

The community centre will serve local uses, with trips made during the peak hour mainly completed as pedestrians or cyclists. It is not presently known what activities would occur within the community centre. As no published rates for Australian conditions were available, the traffic generation has been based on a rate published for a ‘recreational community centre’ in the American Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation (7th Edition). After conversion to metric units, the rates applied are:

21.3 daily vehicle trips per 100 m2 GFA

1.5 vehicle trips per 100 m2 GFA during the peak hour.

Making a general assumption that vehicle trips are 50% of total trips, the total trip generation rate would be:

42.5 daily trips (all modes) per 100 m2 GFA

3.0 trips (all modes) per 100 m2 GFA during the peak hour.

It has been assumed that the remainder of the trips would be made up of car passenger, walk and cycle trips.



Total trips

The total number of trips (all modes) for the AM and PM peaks as well as the typical weekday are shown in Table 6.1

Table 6.1 Trip numbers (all modes) by site and time period for the Project

Land parcel Weekday AM peak hour PM peak hour

In Out In Out In Out

M2 Site 12,950 12,950 1,132 1,401 1,526 1,638 Station Site North 2,891 2,891 583 192 262 612 Station Site South 3,124 3,124 812 252 283 819

OSL Site 575 438 28 76 78 56 RMS Site 99 99 5 16 15 10

Total 19,640 19,640 2,561 1,937 2,165 3,135

Directional split

The percentage of trips into and out of the development was calculated by land use type based on information from the American Institution of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation (7th Edition). The percentages assumed for the AM and PM peak hours are shown in Table 6.2. The directional split assumed across the day is 50% trips in/50% trips out.

Table 6.2 Assumed directional split for peak hour trips

Time period Direction Residential1 Serviced Apartment Retail Commercial Community

AM peak

In 25% 60% 50% 90% 60%

Out 75% 40% 50% 10% 40%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

PM peak

In 60% 50% 50% 15% 30%

Out 40% 50% 50% 85% 70%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Source: ITE Trip Generation, 7th edition, rounded to the nearest 5%

(1) Student housing assumed to have the same directional split as residential trips

Based on the same ITE publication, it is also assumed that the residential trip generation rate for the PM peak hour trip generation is 17% higher than the AM peak hour. Retail trip generation during the AM peak hour was assumed to be one-third of trip generation during the PM peak hour.

Residential trip purpose

The purpose of the trip for residents can influence where they travel and what mode they select. For example, a commute to work is more likely to travel by public transport and go to a different location than a shopping trip. To allow this level of analysis, the trip purpose percentages listed in Table 6.3 were assumed based on HTS data. Different percentages were assumed for resident and student travel to reflect different trip patterns.



Table 6.3 Composition of residential trips by journey purpose

Trip purpose Resident Student

Daily AM peak Daily AM peak

Work 34% 53% 5% 5% Education 10% 22% 39% 70% Shopping 28% 13% 28% 13%

Other 28% 12% 28% 12% Total 100% 100% 100% 100%

Source: Household Travel Survey 2007 five year pooled data (BTS Electronic publication No. S2009/01), adjusted for Ryde LGA trip patterns

Mode share

The potential mode shares for the Project were based on the percentages for Chatswood and St Leonards, calculated from 2006 JTW data presented in Tables 3.2 and 3.3. These were adjusted for the transport conditions in the area around the Project, including:

constrained parking provision within the Project sites

better access to a high-frequency Strategic Bus Corridor (Epping Road) with express services into Sydney CBD

access to train services on the ECRL, but an interchange required for services on other lines (including the North Shore Line)

mixed-use development with employment within walking and cycling distance in North Ryde and Macquarie Park

Macquarie University within cycling distance, with cycle path between the Project and Macquarie University.

The mode shares were calculated for different land uses and time periods using:

Household Travel Survey Summary Report – 2009/10 Release (BTS, June 2011) Table 4.3.3 Proportion of trips by mode and purpose (average weekday)

Household Travel Survey Summary Report – 2010 Release (BTS, June 2010) Key Transport Indicators – for residents of Sydney Statistical Division

2007 HTS data for Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area adjusted to Ryde LGA travel parameters by pro-rata

Adjust to Macquarie Park conditions using 2006 Census ‘Method of Travel to Work’ data for Ryde LGA and Macquarie Park Suburb and split cycle trips from ‘other’ mode.

The proposed mode shares for the Project by land use, trip purpose and time of day are shown in Table 6.4. The transport measures required to achieve these mode shares are outlined in this section and Section 10.

The mode split for residential and employee trips was assumed to be different for different levels of parking. Different parking rates were used across the site to promote alternative transport modes more highly for dwellings in close proximity to North Ryde Station. As different sites are proposed, different



mode splits were developed, i.e. superlots with higher parking were assumed to have higher traffic generation, and vice versa.

Table 6.4 Mode share of non-residential trips by land use and journey purpose

Mode Retail1

Commercial (employee) Community Centre2

AM peak Daily

Vehicle driver 10% 36% 38% 25% Vehicle passenger 3% 10% 5% 25%

Train 17% 10% 30% 0% Bus 6% 8% 13% 0% Walk 60% 32% 12% 40% Cycle 4% 3% 2% 10% Total 100% 100% 100% 100%

(1) Retail adjusted for passing pedestrian/commuter trade during morning peak (2) Mode split for Community Centre trips based on general assumption

Table 6.5 shows the relative mode shares assumed for dwellings with 0.8, 0.9 and 1.2 parking spaces per dwelling.

Table 6.5 Mode share of residential trips by parking rate and journey purpose

Purpose Work Education Shopping Other

0.8 parking spaces per dwelling

Vehicle driver 35% 2% 32% 26%

Vehicle passenger 4% 25% 11% 21%

Train 30% 21% 11% 6%

Bus 17% 23% 10% 4%

Walk 12% 24% 32% 38%

Cycle 2% 4% 4% 5%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100%


Vehicle driver 40% 2% 36% 29% Vehicle passenger 4% 26% 10% 21%

Train 27% 20% 10% 6% Bus 15% 22% 8% 3% Walk 12% 25% 3% 37% Cycle 2% 4% 3% 4% Total 100% 100% 100% 100%


Vehicle driver 53% 4% 49% 39%

Vehicle passenger 5% 37% 13% 26%

Train 19% 16% 7% 4%

Bus 14% 23% 8% 3%

Walk 8% 19% 21% 25%

Cycle 1% 2% 2% 2%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100%



The Macquarie Park Traffic Study (Bitzios Consulting, July 2008) contains a target of public transport mode share of 40%. The proposed mode share for public transport (bus and train combined) is approximately 43% for residential and employee JTW trips.

NSW 2021 and the Metropolitan Transport Plan contain the targets of 28% of total journeys to work by public transport by 2016. The 43% proposed for the Project is well above this target.

Overall, the mode share adopted for the Project (all sites combined) is shown in Table 6.6.

Table 6.6 Mode share of trips (all purposes, all sites) for the Project

Mode Daily AM peak hour PM peak hour

Vehicle driver 32% 30% 28%

Vehicle passenger 11% 9% 9%

Train 19% 25% 24%

Bus 12% 14% 14%

Walk 23% 19% 22%

Cycle 3% 3% 3%

Total 100% 100% 100%

The Metropolitan Transport Plan 2036 (NSW Government 2010) also includes the target of 5% of local trips by bicycle by 2016. The trip generation and mode split have been assessed for all trips, without separating them into local, regional and metropolitan lengths. However, the 3% cycle mode share overall target is expected to be heavily biased towards local trips, with Macquarie University a key destination. sections 7.2 and 11.4 outline the cycle infrastructure proposed for the Project.

The wide spread of mode choice reflects the TOD-style development proposed. Strategies to achieve this spread are discussed in section 10.

Trip generation by site and time period

The trips generated by each site have been allocated to different modes of transport using the trip purpose and mode share information outlined earlier. The resulting trip numbers are provided in Table 6.7.



Table 6.7 Total trips generated from each site by mode and time of day

Land parcel

Into the development Out of the development

Vehicle driver

Vehicle passenger

Train Bus Walk Cycle Total Vehicle driver

Vehicle passenger

Train Bus Walk Cycle Total

AM peak hour trips

M2 Site 350 89 290 153 217 32 1,132 397 155 294 193 318 44 1,401

Station Site North 183 37 175 88 87 13 583 38 26 44 31 46 6 192

Station Site South 272 44 255 122 102 17 812 73 24 65 39 45 7 252

OSL Site 10 4 4 4 6 1 28 29 11 11 10 12 1 76

RMS Site 2 1 1 1 1 0 5 5 2 3 2 3 0 16

Total 817 175 726 368 413 62 2,561 542 218 418 276 425 58 1,937

PM peak hour trips

M2 Site 399 151 318 197 412 49 1,526 462 136 385 211 396 50 1,638

Station Site North 54 29 61 39 71 8 262 180 42 177 90 109 15 612

Station Site South 84 25 76 44 47 7 283 270 48 252 124 107 17 819

OSL Site 28 11 12 10 16 1 78 19 7 9 7 13 1 56

RMS Site 5 2 3 2 3 0 15 3 1 2 1 2 0 10

Total 570 217 470 292 550 66 2,165 934 234 825 433 627 83 3,135

24 hour weekday trips

M2 Site 4,222 1,495 2,082 1,380 3,322 449 12,950 4,222 1,495 2,082 1,380 3,322 449 12,950

Station Site North 871 285 647 383 624 82 2,891 871 285 647 383 624 82 2,891

Station Site South 1,005 236 849 437 521 76 3,124 1,005 236 849 437 521 76 3,124

OSL Site 232 87 64 58 122 12 575 232 87 64 58 122 12 575

RMS Site 32 13 15 10 26 3 99 32 13 15 10 26 3 99

Total 6,362 2,115 3,658 2,268 4,614 624 19,640 6,362 2,115 3,658 2,268 4,614 624 19,640



Trip distribution

Trip distributions were estimated by trip purpose. Residential commuter and recreation journeys, retail, commercial and industrial journeys were distributed according to percentages calculated from 2006 JTW shown in Figures 4.3 and 4.4. These numbers are summarised in Table 6.8, along with assumptions made about the distribution of trips with other purposes. For education trips, the location of schools, child care and tertiary facilities was taken into consideration.

Table 6.8 Distribution of commuter trips

Trip entry/exit direction Residential1

Retail1,5 Commercial1,3,4 Work2,4/Other Education5 Shopping5

Delhi Road (east of Lane Cove River) 10% 20% 20% 20% 9%

Epping Road (east of Lane Cove River) 25% 6% 15% 15% 14%

Pittwater Road 14% 5% 2% 5% 11%

Blenheim Road 3% 4% 1% 5% 2%

Wicks Road (south of Epping Road) 7% 3% 15% 10% 3%

Lane Cove Road (south of Epping Road) 10% 7% 5% 10% 8%

Epping Road (west of Lane Cove Road) 13% 2.5% 5% 10% 17%

Waterloo Road (west of Lane Cove Road) 4% 52% 30% 20% 0%

M2 Motorway (west of Lane Cove Road) 6% 0% 5% 0% 17%

Lane Cove Road (north of M2 Motorway) 7% 0.5% 2% 5% 18%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

(1) A different distribution was assumed for bus trips (2) Commute trips from residential dwellings in the Project (3) Commute trips to employment in the Project (4) Source: Bureau of Transport Statistics 2006 Journey to Work (5) Trips were distributed based on the assumed location of retail areas and education facilities, and the location of

potential shoppers.

6.2 Internal street hierarchy

The street hierarchy for the Project was designed to provide a clear structure for drivers and provide permeability (within site constraints), especially for pedestrians and cyclists. The only site with an internal ‘network’ is the M2 Site. A Spine Street through the site is proposed, as a continuation of Waterloo Road. A Loop Street on the eastern side would provide a lower level of function – predominantly residential access and circulation for large vehicles (if required). Station Street would run along the boundary of the Station Site North and the Station Site South, and connect to Road 38 on the alignment of Road 18.

The forecast ranges of daily traffic on the internal streets within the Project were calculated using the trip generation outlined in section 6.1, and are shown on Figure 6.1. They indicate that the most heavily trafficked road would be Spine Street.

Based on these AADT estimates and the function of the roads, the proposed internal road hierarchy is shown on Figure 6.2. All streets are two-way apart from the roads on either side of the central open space, which would facilitate clockwise circulation around the park, and the left-in only access from Epping Road, which would be one-way northbound. The shared zones are discussed in section 7.1.3.




Figure 6.1 Forecast AADT traffic on internal roads (full development)




Figure 6.2 Proposed internal road hierarchy



6.3 Street design

The street designs within the Project have been designed with regard to the Macquarie Park DCP 2010, AMCORD, Australian Standard AS2890.5-1993 On-street Parking and examples of street design in practice. A road safety audit will be undertaken during the detailed design process to eliminate safety issues before construction.

The Macquarie Park Corridor DCP 2010 includes four standard street types. Of these four, two (types 1 and 2) are recommended for streets within the Project sites. These generic street sections have been adjusted to suit the higher densities of development, allow sufficient space for the design vehicle, to maximise amenity and to incorporate initiatives such as cycleways and Water Sensitive Urban Design elements.

Indicative street sections are provided in Table 6.9. The locations of the indicative sections are shown in Figure 6.3.


Figure 6.3 Street section locations



Table 6.9 Indicative street cross-sections

Cross-section and sketch

1. Spine Street- collector road

2. Loop Street – local street

3. Middle Street – local street



Cross-section and sketch

4. Park Street North – local street, one-way eastbound

5. Park Street South – local street, one-way westbound

6. Station Street – local street




The proposed street design is slightly different to the standard road typologies provided in the Ryde Development Control Plan 2010 Section 4.5: Macquarie Park. From a traffic perspective, the primary differences are:

Rain garden and trees planted within the parking lane proposed compared to Ryde DCP cross-sections which locate these within the verge. This treatment has been used in other locations and is considered appropriate provided a barrier kerb or wheel stops are installed to reduce the likelihood of a vehicle colliding with the tree. Tree branches and canopies need to be pruned to maintain a suitable road carriageway clear zone.

3.25 m wide traffic lanes proposed compared to 3.0 m wide lanes in Ryde DCP. The travel lane has been increased slightly to provide more turning room for large vehicles such as delivery trucks to the retail areas and garbage trucks. This is additionally important due positioning of trees within the parking lane which reduces the distance between overhanging branches and moving trucks. It also future-proofs the streets should TfNSW decide to extend bus routes into the development at some future date (see section 7.4.4 and 11.2 for comments on this issue). State Transit Authority’s Bus Infrastructure Guideline advises that 3.2 m is appropriate for lanes to be used by buses.

Kerb radii and intersections have been designed to accommodate the turning requirements of a standard 12.5 m long rigid truck/bus (or 18.0m long articulated bus) with some lane sharing, and a standard 8.8 m medium rigid vehicle (e.g. garbage truck) with no lane sharing. At key intersections, such as the junction between Spine Street and Loop Street, where disruptions to traffic flow could result in queuing at peak times, additional turning space has been provided for large vehicles to allow 12.5 m long vehicles to turn without lane sharing.

The location of street trees within the parking lane on kerb extensions has been used in other new developments, e.g. Grandstand Parade in Victoria Park. The trees are protected from moving traffic by a standard kerb and gutter, but have the impact of visually narrowing the driver’s perception of the available road space, which can be conducive to lower traffic speeds.

6.4 Access intersections

A number of access locations from the development sites to the external road network have been suggested and considered. A balance has been sought between permeability, impacts on arterial traffic flow and protecting the development streets from high levels of through traffic. An Access Management Plan (Parsons Brinckerhoff, May 2012) was developed and forwarded to the relevant agencies including RMS and CoR for consultation and information.

Based on the results of the assessment for the Access Management Plan and further discussions with RMS and Council, the access options have been narrowed down to those shown in Table 6.10.



Table 6.10 Potential site accesses

Site Access location

Connect to the intersection of Waterloo Road and Wicks Road. All movements permitted.

New traffic signals with pedestrian phases.

Left-in only from Epping Road. Close to western border of the site to provide physical separation from the

Epping Road and Delhi Road intersection. Deceleration lane proposed to slow vehicles down before they enter the site

due to volume of traffic and reasonably sharp turn.

Left-in/left-out on Epping Road. Split entry and exit driveways. Deceleration lane proposed to allow vehicles to slow down and give-way to

pedestrians and cyclists without blocking traffic. Give-way for left-out. Vehicles would be able to use the breaks in flow created

during the change-over between phases at Epping and Delhi Roads.

Drive-way style left-in/left-out on Epping Road. Towards eastern boundary of site to increase the distance from the

Epping Road and Delhi Road intersection. Split entry and exit driveways. Give-way for left-out. Vehicles would be able to use the breaks in flow created

during the change-over between phases at Epping & Delhi Roads.

Utilise existing traffic signals at the intersection of Delhi Road and The Leighton Way (Road 38).

Give-way controlled intersection with Road 18 and provision for access to Riverside Corporate Park (one-way eastbound into Riverside Corporate Park).

New turning circle near potential lower level entry into North Ryde Station on boundary with Station Site South.

A second connection (two-way) into Riverside Corporate Park via the connection of Road 38 to Lucknow Road.

Possible third connection to Rivett Road in the future.

Additional access points are proposed for pedestrians and cyclists to maximise the permeability of the network for them. These are described in section 7.1 and 7.2 respectively. Traffic modelling of the proposed access points has been used to assess the adequacy and configurations required for the signalised and give-way controlled intersections. Section 9.5 provides the results.

Additional access intersections were considered to make the road network more permeable, including providing a full-movement intersection on Epping Road at the Waterloo Road extension and the connection of Road 38 through to Epping Road. However, the Waterloo Road connection onto Epping Roads was assessed to have a detrimental impact on traffic flow along Epping Road and would act as a rat-run for traffic accessing the M2 Motorway. The connection of Road 38 to Epping Road is not supported on urban design and traffic impact grounds.



Connection to Riverside Corporate Park

The amount of connection to the Riverside Corporate Park has been tested to determine the configuration which reduces the impact of the development traffic on Delhi Road and queuing within the site, yet provides a permeable network and increases the paths into and out of the site (where possible). The proposed connections include:

One-way connection along the Road 18 alignment.

Two-way connection to Lucknow Road.

A potential future connection to Rivett Road (subject to negotiation with adjacent land owners).

A one-way eastbound only connection for traffic proposed along the alignment of ‘Road 18’ is proposed as a two-way connection was found to create extensive queuing within the site. If westbound vehicles from Riverside Corporate Park are allowed use it to jump the queue of cars on Julius Avenue, the queuing would block other vehicles leaving the internal car parks and result in slower overall travel on Delhi Road. Access for pedestrians and cyclists would be two-way.

The one-way eastbound (i.e. from the Station Site into Riverside Corporate Park) connection with modifications to the intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 was found to produce the best traffic solution for all traffic, including Riverside Corporate Park generated traffic (assuming an upgrade of the Delhi Road/Julius Avenue west intersection as well). The modifications to the intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 include:

left-turn only from Road 38 onto Delhi Road (i.e. no right turn from Road 38 onto Delhi Road), all other movements permitted.

right-turning vehicles from the Project (including the Station Site South) use the one-way eastbound connection into Riverside Corporate Park, and then the traffic signals at the Julius Avenue/Delhi Road/Plassey Road intersection to continue eastbound on Delhi Road.

the pedestrian crossing across Delhi Road at Road 38 is shifted to the eastern approach.

This scheme is shown in Table 9.3.

6.4.1 Access intersection configuration

The Wicks Road/Waterloo Road connection and Delhi Road/Road 38 intersections are existing intersections. Subject to a suitable design being developed, it is assumed that road safety would not be an issue for connections to these intersections. The intersection of Road 38 (The Leighton Way) and Road 18 (into Riverside Corporate Park) would be a newly designed single-lane roundabout in a low-speed environment. This intersection has not been designed but it is assumed that, subject to a suitable design, safety would not be an issue.

Preliminary concept designs for these accesses have been drafted by the project civil engineers (Robert Bird Group) and are available for RMS and CoR for comment. Initial indications are that all are feasible and can be designed with suitable regard to road safety. A road safety audit for the site’s internal road would include the access intersections to identify any remaining safety concerns.

M2 Site

Two access points are proposed to the M2 Site – a signalised full-access intersection at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road and a left-in only slip lane from Epping Road.



Intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road

The proposed schematic layout of the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road is shown in Figure 6.4. This layout has been tested in SIDRA and was found to operate with acceptable performance. The current road carriageways of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road are wide enough for two lanes in each direction, but are presently marked with one (including parking).

Note: No median proposed on M2 Site Access Road (Spine Street)

Figure 6.4 Proposed layout of intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road

The kerbline of the south-west corner of this intersection would require adjustment to allow large vehicles to turn without being blocked by vehicles waiting to turn into the M2 Site or continue north on Wicks Road.

Epping Road left-in entry

The entry from Epping Road would be left in only. It is anticipated that the left-turn volume could be in the order of 70 to 100 vehicles per hour (vph) during the afternoon peak. Within the development, vehicles entering the M2 Site would be given priority over other movements to reduce the chance that queues would form back onto Epping Road. Assuming that vehicles entering the site arrive in a platoon of vehicles, a deceleration lane of 100 m is proposed on Epping Road. Sight distance from Epping Road eastbound to the proposed entry point is greater than 400 m.

The length of the deceleration lane would require some adjustment to kerb lines west of the access, but would connect to the wide left lane created by the removal of the service lane barrier recently completed as part of RMS’ bus priority works. The access to the adjacent property would be able to be maintained, however a bus stop would need to be relocated. See section 7.3 for further details. Vehicles entering the M2 Site would be slowed to 20 km/h by the geometry of the entry to improve pedestrian safety and to ensure that there is sufficient sight distance at the first intersection within the development. This speed would be achieved with a tight radius curve.



Station Site North and South

Access to the Station Site North and Station Site South (Goodman Property Group site), will utilise the existing intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 (presently known as The Leighton Way). It is proposed that further upgrades of Delhi Road are required to address current congestion, and make space for traffic generated by the new developments in North Ryde (including the Project). These upgrades include extending the second eastbound through lane further east through both intersections with Julius Avenue, before merging back to one lane.

Initially, the Station Sites could operate with the current configuration of the intersection of the intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38. However, as through traffic increases on Delhi Road and from the Station Sites, an upgrade to Delhi Road and the intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 is required to improve efficiency and control queuing within the site. The proposed upgrade would involve the conversion of both lanes on Road 38 to left-turn lanes. Right-turn traffic would be directed to use the Road 18 connection to Riverside Corporate Park and the right-turn facilities at Julius Avenue. The proposed layout (schematic diagram) is shown in Figure 6.5.

Figure 6.5 Proposed layout of intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38

It is also proposed that the current pedestrian crossing location would be moved from across the western approach (station side) to across the eastern approach (Riverside Corporate Park side). This would facilitate more efficient traffic signal phasing whilst still providing for pedestrian connection to Delhi Road bus stops. A relocation and/or consolidation of bus stop(s) is proposed subject to further assessment.

The addition of additional right-turning traffic on Julius Avenue would be compensated by the improvement in traffic flow from the Delhi Road upgrades, and a proposed extension of the right-turn bay on Julius Avenue. The improvements to eastbound flow would compensate buses for the loss of the queue-jump at Road 38.



Intersection of Road 38 and Road 18

A give-way controlled intersection at the junction of Road 38 and Road 18 (Station Street) is proposed with one-way (eastbound) access only into Riverside Corporate Park. The proposed intersection layout is shown in Figure 6.6. A U-turn is not required in Road 18 as a driveway immediately preceding the intersection will accommodate the remaining westbound vehicles.

Source: Cox, October 2012

Figure 6.6 Proposed layout of intersection of Road 38 and Road 18

OSL Site

RMS and Council have expressed the desire that the entry to the OSL Site be located as far away from the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road as possible. The proposed access location complies with this request, retaining access in approximately the current location, as shown in Figure 6.7.

A deceleration lane of 100 m length (including 35 m taper) is proposed to allow vehicles to be slowed prior to crossing the shared path on the southern side of Epping Road without interfering with the through flow of vehicles on Epping Road. This can be accommodated between the Delhi Road intersection and the current entry position.

NORTH




Figure 6.7 Proposed deceleration lane into OSL Site

For vehicles exiting the site, the existing driveway is located slightly west of the crest of a hill at the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road. While this limits sight distance to the east (to approximately 120 m) the available sight distance is greater than the minimum gap sight distance (assuming a 5 second gap) of 111 m. This is enhanced by the gaps created by the traffic signals at the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road.

The available sight distance is also sufficient for vehicles entering the site. Looking at a worst case scenario of a truck travelling west on Epping Road having to stop for a vehicle stopped to wait for a pedestrian or cyclist to cross, an Extended Design Domain (EDD) stopping sight distance (SSD) of 110 m is required, including grade adjustments.

RMS Site

This driveway would provide access to 25 residential and visitor parking spaces, and would have a single widened entry and exit driveway. The traffic generated by the RMS Site would be less than the threshold which would require a deceleration lane according to Austroads' Guide to Road Design Part 4A: Unsignalised and Signalised Intersections (Figure 4.9). It is further recommended that a deceleration lane is not required at this location because the land required to provide the deceleration lane would extend into the adjacent property and Bundara Reserve.

The available sight distance at the proposed access is approximately 150 m. This sight distance would be sufficient for the access, given the following:

Looking at the worst case of a truck travelling east on Epping Road having to stop for a vehicle slowing to turn left into the driveway, an extended design domain (EDD) stopping sight distance

Proposed deceleration

lane



(SSD) of 134 m is required, including grade adjustments. There is sufficient distance for a truck to spot a stopped vehicle and stop in time if lane changing is not a possibility.

For a vehicle exiting the driveway, a minimum gap sight distance for a 5 second gap is 111 m. Therefore there is also sufficient sight distance for vehicles exiting the site to select a suitable gap. This is enhanced by the gaps created by the traffic signals at the intersection of Epping Road and Delhi Road.

6.5 Internal intersections

M2 Site

The internal intersections within the M2 Site would all be T-intersections (some with driveway access on the fourth leg) with give-way or stop control. In general, the Spine Street would be allocated priority at internal intersections followed by the Loop Street. The internal road network within the M2 Site is shown in Figure 6.8.


Figure 6.8 M2 Site internal road network



A non-standard arrangement is proposed at the first intersection inside the site when entering from Epping Road, at the intersection of Spine Street and South Street. The one-way entry from Epping Road would be given priority over all other movements to reduce the likelihood of queues blocking back onto Epping Road. The layout is shown in Figure 6.9. The distance between this intersection and the left-in slip lane from Epping Road is approximately 60 m, which is sufficient to provide Minimum Gap Sight Distance for traffic turning right from South Street to vehicles entering the site from Epping Road (which are slowed to around 20 km/h by the 90O bend and pedestrian crossing). Street trees within the field of vision for this movement have been kept to a minimum to avoid obstructing this sight distance for drivers.

Source: Cox, October 2012

Figure 6.9 Intersection of Loop Street and South Street

Station Site North and South

Internal streets within the Station Site North and South are limited due to the small size of the sites. The main entry road would follow the Road 38 alignment. A separate street (Station Street) would run along the boundary between the TfNSW Station Site North and Station Site South (the Goodman Property Group site). A roundabout/turning head would facilitate turning movements for vehicles up to the size of a standard 12.5 m long rigid truck/bus. This roundabout could be used by vehicles dropping off or picking up passengers at North Ryde Station. The street network servicing the Station Site North and South is shown in Figure 6.10.

NORTH



A shared zone/traversable courtyard would extend from the head of the roundabout. This would facilitate access to the underground parking for the serviced apartments and student accommodation. Within the Station Site South, internal streets would connect to the roundabout on Station Street and Road 38.


Figure 6.10 Station Site North and South internal street layout

OSL Site

The only intersection proposed within the OSL Site is a turning facility at the end of the access street. This turning area would be included as a ‘shared zone’ with parking and slow-speed manoeuvres.

RMS Site

The RMS Site would be served by a driveway style access with no internal intersections.



7. Public transport, pedestrians and cyclists The project is expected to have a positive impact on connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists. The proposed pedestrian and cycle bridge over Delhi Road will connect up with Council built shared paths to allow an active transport corridor stretching from the Riverside Corporate Park through the Project to Macquarie Park and Macquarie University.

The road upgrades would be designed to facilitate pedestrian and cycle movement. The Delhi Road upgrade would retain the cycle lanes. At the bridge over the M2 Motorway, the eastbound bicycle path would be moved onto the unused northern footpath with kerb ramps created maintain the cycle route. The new traffic signals at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road would improve pedestrian and cycle facilities with pedestrian crossings across all approaches.

Within the Project sites, footpaths, shared paths and cycle lanes would be provided along with public bicycle parking facilities. Individual superlots would be required to provide facilities for cyclists including lockers, visitor bike racks and shower/change facilities.

7.1 Pedestrian access

Pedestrian facilities are present throughout the area surrounding the project. However, the arterial roads and large intersections present a barrier to easy pedestrian movement. The current network includes:

shared pedestrian and cycle paths

a pedestrian bridge across Epping Road, approximately mid-way between Delhi Road and Wicks Road

pedestrian crossings at signalised intersections

footpaths, typically on both sides of the street.

As a TOD-style project, pedestrian access throughout the sites would be encouraged, with improved connections to external pedestrian facilities. The Project would invest significant resources in the pedestrian network to overcome the physical separation between the sites. The improvements would improve pedestrian connections throughout the North Ryde/Macquarie Park area, providing benefits for those outside the site.

7.1.1 Access requirements

An assessment has been made of the needs of different types of pedestrian movements.

employee:

access from the North Ryde area south of Epping Road to employment within the Project

access from North Ryde Station and bus stops to employment within the Project

commuter:

internal TOD trips for residents working within the Project

walking trips to other North Ryde and Macquarie Park employment



walking to North Ryde or Macquarie Park Station or bus stops

walk trips for residents outside the Project through the Project as a short-cut to North Ryde Station or to adjacent employment

education:

local public schools and child care facilities are within walking and cycling distances in North Ryde south of Epping Road

access to bus stops or North Ryde or Macquarie Park Stations for travel to the nearest high schools

Macquarie University Students can cycle or walk to via the internal links and the shared path on Waterloo Road

entertainment:

Macquarie Centre contains cinemas, restaurants and an ice skating rink. It is within walking and cycling distance with the shared path on Waterloo Road

shopping:

local shopping facilities would be provided within the M2 Site and Station Site North

more extensive shopping is available at Macquarie Centre (walk and cycle) and Top Ryde, which is within cycling distance

recreation

open space would be provided within the sites

Blenheim Park is accessible via the signalised crossings of Epping Road (Pittwater Road and Delhi Road) and the Epping Road pedestrian bridge

the Lane Cove National Park is located nearby, with existing tracks accessed from Plassey Road.

7.1.2 Proposed network improvements

The current pedestrian facilities can provide some part of the requirements for these pedestrian trips. For example, pedestrians crossing Epping Road can use one of three routes:

1. across the Epping Road pedestrian bridge east of Ryrie Street

2. the Epping Road and Delhi Road traffic signals

3. the Epping Road and Pittwater Road traffic signals.

However, for a TOD focussed on walking, and to connect the Project sites that are separated by busy arterial roads, some gaps/barriers exist in the network, including:

missing footpaths on the northern side of Epping Road between the pedestrian overbridge and Delhi Road



inconvenient pedestrian crossing of Delhi Road on the northern side of Epping Road

no pedestrian access across Delhi Road at the M2 Ramps or access across the M2 Ramps on the northern side of Delhi Road

no pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Waterloo Road and Wicks Road

no direct pedestrian connection between the Riverside Corporate Park and North Ryde Station – access must be gained via Delhi Road.

To address these gaps, the following pedestrian and cyclist facilities are proposed:

1. a pedestrian bridge from the M2 Site, across Delhi Road, across the M2 Motorway and connecting to the North Ryde Station Site North

2. a footpath along the northern side of Epping Road connecting the Epping Road footbridge to the intersection with Delhi Road

3. pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Waterloo Road and Wicks Road via the provision of new traffic signals

4. a new footpath along the eastern side of Wicks Road in front of the M2 Site

5. the creation of a continuous shared pedestrian and cycle path from the Riverside Corporate Park, through the North Ryde Station Site North, over the new pedestrian bridge, through the M2 Site and connecting to the new shared paths on Waterloo Road

6. a shared zone around the central open space within the M2 Site and pedestrian crossings with raised thresholds on either side to maintain the pedestrian and cycle priority over traffic through the site

7. a new set of stairs from Delhi Road to the new station plaza on the western side of the North Ryde Station entry.

The following additional facilities are not included in this project but are recommended to be investigated further to improve safety and accessibility of the precinct for pedestrians:

improvements to pedestrian connectivity from south of Epping Road to the station. This could include new stairs between the northern side of Epping Road up to the southern end of Road 38 or an additional pedestrian and cycle bridge across Epping Road. The proposal has been designed to ensure this additional connection point is not precluded if feasible in the future.

subject to further assessment with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, the project proposes to create a new link via Wicks Road to the picnic facilities at Tunks Hill, as shown in Figure 7.1.



Base image source: NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service

Figure 7.1 Lane Cove National Park links

Footpaths would be provided on all streets within the development. Further consultation would be undertaken with RMS, Council and Bike North to explore opportunities to improve regional cycle connections.

All items would improve the accessibility of North Ryde Station to areas south of Epping Road by reducing the barrier effect of Delhi Road; and shortening the walk distance/improving the route directness respectively. The pedestrian and cycle network with the proposed additions is shown in Figure 7.2.

Legend North Ryde Station Precinct Project sites Potential future connection to Lane Cove National Park



Note: Current footpaths shown for streets immediately surrounding the Project sites

Figure 7.2 Proposed pedestrian and cycle network

7.1.3 Pedestrian crossing locations and shared zones

To assist pedestrians move within the M2 Site and Station Site, pedestrian crossings are proposed to be used as a precinct-wide treatment traffic calming measure.

Potential connection across Epping Road



Source: Cox Richardson Architects: Indicative Layout Plan Draft November 2012

Figure 7.3 Proposed pedestrian crossings and shared zones



Some sections of road have been proposed as shared zones. The OSL Site and Station Site North have shared zones at the end of their respective access streets, where through traffic is not required and pedestrian and cycle movements are expected to be numerous. A shared zone is also proposed on the westbound one-way street on the southern side of the central open space. The adjacent buildings would have ground-floor retail, potentially including restaurants and cafes. The shared zone has been included to promote interaction between these land uses and the central open space.

7.1.4 Pedestrian bridge

The main focus of pedestrian infrastructure would be the new shared pedestrian and cycle bridge over Delhi Road (span 1) and the M2 Motorway (span 2). It would be built with ramps at each end and use the natural contours to avoid the need for stairs or switchback ramps. A 3-dimensional sketch of the bridge is shown in Figure 7.4.


Figure 7.4 Delhi Road and M2 Motorway pedestrian bridge

The bridge deck would have a clear width for pedestrians of 3.0 m, as shown in Figure 7.5. Pedestrians and cyclists would be shared, but divided by direction into two lanes, similar to the arrangement used on the Falcon Street pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Warringah Freeway (shown in Figure 7.6).



Source: Cox Richardson Architects: October 2012

Figure 7.5 Delhi Road pedestrian bridge cross section

Image source: Aurecon

Figure 7.6 Shared pedestrian and cyclist lanes on Falcon Street bridge

The pedestrian bridge would be built in two stages. Span 1 across Delhi Road would be constructed as one of the first pieces of infrastructure and would be in place before occupation of the first of the M2 superlots. In the interim, until the construction of span 2, it would end with stairs and a lift down to the southern side of Delhi Road. The stairs and lift would remain after the construction of span 2.



The bridge would be enclosed with anti-throw screens. It would have a minimum of height of 5.5 m above Delhi Road to comply with RMS guidelines and avoid the need to restrict the height of vehicles passing underneath. This is important as oversize trucks may use the Delhi Road Ramp as the last motorway exit before the height restricted Lane Cove Tunnel.

Pedestrian and cycle bridge capacity

The pedestrian bridge across Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway is expected to be a unifying path between sites and an important access route to North Ryde Station. The estimated pedestrian flow generated by the Project including pedestrians and train passengers is forecast to be 905 pedestrians and 47 cyclists in the AM peak hour and 1,205 pedestrians and 56 cyclists in the PM peak hour (all two-way). This equates to a peak of around 47 people per minute and one bicycle per minute. This assumes a spike in people coming to/from the train. Allowing an additional 15% increase for future growth (as recommended by RailCorp on previous projects), and spreading the flow across the 3.0 m bridge width, the peak flow would be 20 people per metre per minute.

Pedestrian analysis typically involves deriving a Fruin Level of Service (LoS) as a means of defining where problem areas of congestion may occur. The Fruin Level of Service table for various elements is shown in Appendix G. LoS A is the best level, meaning that the area is operating well below capacity, with a high degree of comfort for passengers. LoS F means that the area is operating above its capacity, and queuing and delays are likely. Using the Fruin scale, the flow of 20 people per metre per minute indicates a good level of service of B, i.e. the bridge should be wide enough and should operate well.

It is recommended that the bridge be treated as a shared path with pedestrians and cyclists sharing the space but separated by direction. It should also have an advisory speed limit for cyclists to be set for, say, 10 km/h.

7.1.5 Pedestrian connections to areas south of Epping Road

Opportunities to cross Epping Road are currently provided at the signalised intersections with Wicks Road, Delhi Road and Pittwater Road, as well as the pedestrian overbridge near Ryrie Street. However, the volume of traffic on Epping Road necessitates long cycle times and increased delays for pedestrians waiting to cross.

The need for improved connections for pedestrians from south of Epping Road to the station will be investigated further. This investigation could include measures to minimise the walk distance and crossing wait time from the existing residential catchment. Improvements to be investigated could include:

a grade-separated crossing of Epping Road near Pittwater Road, potentially connecting into the southern end of Road 38

a new set of stairs linking the northern side of Epping Road to the southern end of Road 38

improved pedestrian connections through to Morshead Street.

The area of North Ryde further south is currently low-density residential and the road reservation for Epping Road and Blenheim Park reduce the short-distance walk catchment for North Ryde Station. Assuming a 1 km walk catchment for North Ryde Station, approximately 400 dwellings and 300 dwellings could potentially benefit from improved links across Epping Road via a Pittwater Road link and a Morshead Street link respectively. However, any new link will need to consider the impact on the long distance required to span Epping Road and the M2 Motorway, as well as the competition from the high-frequency Epping Road bus corridor for trips to Sydney CBD.



7.2 Cycle network

Cycle facilities are provided on-road cycle lanes on Delhi Road and the M2 Motorway ramps and an off-road shared footpath on Epping Road. However, the volume of traffic on these roads makes turns difficult, especially for cyclists that are not experienced and confident, or slow waiting at pedestrian signals. Limited numbers of bike racks are provided at North Ryde Station.

The proposed cycle network is shown on Figure 7.2. It includes a series of shared pedestrian and cycle paths, the Delhi Road and M2 Motorway bridge, and a new signalised crossing at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road would create a cycle corridor through the North Ryde Station Site and M2 Site. This corridor would connect to cycle facilities recently installed by CoR that continue through Macquarie Park to Macquarie University. On-road cycle lanes are proposed along the Spine Street to connect the new shared path to the Epping Road pedestrian overbridge.

Cycle facilities such as private residential cycle locking areas, public locking facilities, especially at North Ryde Station, and end of trip facilities within commercial developments would be provided to create a cycle-friendly environment. Facilities would be targeted at the public open space within the M2 Site, the community centre and around North Ryde Station at the new station entry.

7.3 Access to public transport

The major public transport connections required from each site are to:

North Ryde Station

Epping Road bus corridor

Delhi Road bus corridor.

More distant public transport services that provide useful services to other destinations include:

Macquarie Park Station

Lane Cove Road bus corridor.

7.3.1 Rail access

Rail access from the Project to North Ryde Station is intended to be improved through the construction of a new access from the southern side of the Station Site North. The new entrance will consist of stairs and escalators connecting to the podium level within the current station, requiring one more escalator to get down to concourse level.

A map of the train walk catchments with the proposed site roads and Delhi Road pedestrian bridge (spans 1 and 2) surrounding the Project is shown in Figure 7.7. It illustrates the six minute and ten minute catchments (isochrones) from North Ryde and Macquarie Park Stations. These equate to approximately 500 m and 800 m walk distances respectively. The two ten minute isochrones overlap indicating that the northern part of the M2 Site is within walking distance of both stations. However, topography and direction of travel may influence which station is used.

Pedestrian connections to both stations are required from the M2 Site, while the remaining sites would most likely use North Ryde Station solely for their rail access. The proposed pedestrian bridge over Delhi Road would assist in connecting the M2 Site to North Ryde Station and would remove Delhi Road as a barrier to Station access.



Source: Cox Richardson Architects: Indicative Layout Plan Report November 2012

Figure 7.7 Train station walk catchments

Due to its position around North Ryde Station, the Project can improve the access from other areas to the Station. Areas that could benefit from improved access include:

the area south of Epping Road around Pittwater Road and Blenheim Road (particularly if improved pedestrian/cycle connections are provided in the future)

the Riverside Corporate Park.



Facilitating easier station access and encouraging more public transport use from surrounding areas, has the potential to reduce the demand for road space and could assist in achieving one of the objectives of the Project - the increasing of patronage of North Ryde Station.

Access to North Ryde at Pittwater Road

It is proposed that the Project would improve the forecourt area around the new lower-level entry to the Station. It is also proposed that a set of stairs between the footpath on the northern side of Epping Road and the footpath on Lucknow Road be investigated, cutting approximately 150 m from the walk distance. This route includes a footpath connection along Road 38 to connect Lucknow Road to Station Street.

Access to Riverside Corporate Park

Direct pedestrian access from Riverside Corporate Park to North Ryde Station would be provided alongside the new one-way vehicle connection at the intersection of Road 38 and Road 18. This would reduce the walk to the station by approximately 120 m, extending the walk catchment of the Station.

7.3.2 Bus access

Future bus passengers travelling to and from the precinct would enjoy close proximity to major bus corridors. Existing pedestrian facilities that assist access to the surrounding bus stops would be augmented by new facilities proposed with the development, including:

the proposed pedestrian bridge over Delhi Road and M2 Motorway

traffic signals with pedestrian crossings at the intersection of Wicks Road and Waterloo Road

a pedestrian path from the southern end of the North Ryde Station Site South to Epping Road at the intersection with Pittwater Road

internal pedestrian crossings and shared zones.

Walk time to bus stops maps for the Epping Road corridor, Delhi Road and Waterloo Road, similar to Figure 7.7 for the train stations, are shown in Figure 7.8. They show that:

the 6 minute and 10 minute catchments (isochrones) from the Epping Road bus stops cover the five sites and surrounding area

the 6 minute and 10 minute catchments (isochrones) from the Delhi Road bus stops cover the five sites and surrounding area

the 10 minute catchments (isochrones) from the Waterloo Road bus stop cover the top portion of the M2 Site.

While not all buses stop alt all bus stops, the map indicates the high level of accessibility to bus services.



Epping Road bus stop isochrones Delhi Road bus stop isochrones

Waterloo Road bus stop isochrones

Source: Cox Richardson Architect (November 2012)

Figure 7.8 Bus stop walk catchments



Bus stop relocation on Epping Road

A change to the location of the inbound bus stop on Epping Road adjacent to the pedestrian bridge is proposed to accommodate a deceleration lane for vehicles entering the M2 Site. The relocation would be of a short length (approximately 50 m). The space between the proposed relocated stop and the previous stop would be approximately 275 m. This is at the shorter end of the recommended range of spacing between stops, but given the number of new residents in the M2 Site that would be seeking public transport, it is considered that the stop would warrant retention. The distance to the following stop would be around 800 m. As such, the stop spacing would even out over the longer distance. The proposed relocated bus stop would retain close proximity to the pedestrian bridge, and would be opposite the corresponding outbound stop.

It is proposed that facilities be upgraded at the relocated bus stop to improve passenger amenity, with a new shelter and seating. Due to the removal of the median separating the service lane from Epping Road (as part of the RMS bus priority and left-turn lane extension works recently completed), the kerbside lane would be sufficiently wide for the bus to stop out of the way of turning traffic.

The proposed new location for the bus stop is shown in Figure 7.9. It would be located between the driveways of the Domayne store, with approximately 25 m of kerb to pull up alongside. This is sufficient for one standard length (12.5 m), long rigid (14.5 m) or articulated bus (18.0 m) without blocking the driveways of Domayne.

Figure 7.9 Proposed relocation of Epping Road bus stop



Bus stop relocation on Delhi Road

Part of the proposed package of road works includes the widening of Delhi Road to accommodate two eastbound lanes from the M2 Motorway to east of Julius Avenue (eastern intersection), i.e. two lanes through the built-up section of Delhi Road. This affects the bus lane and B-signal at the intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38. This bus bay and bus priority is required to allow buses to stop without affecting traffic flow and to provide assistance to buses to get through the current congestion on Delhi Road.

The proposed intersection arrangement for the intersection of Delhi Road and Road 38 includes the relocation of the pedestrian crossing of Delhi Road from the western side to the eastern side of the intersection, to improve the efficiency of traffic signal phasing. The relocation would be matched by moving the bus stop to east of Road 38 (downstream of the intersection) to locate the bus stop as close as possible to the crossing, as shown in Figure 7.10. It is noted that the downstream position is favoured by State Transit Authority’s Bus Infrastructure Guideline and RMS at signalised intersections as it improves the operation of the traffic signals, which facilitates more efficient bus travel.

Figure 7.10 Proposed relocation of Delhi Road bus stop

There is sufficient width in the current road reservation for Delhi Road for the proposed widening of Delhi Road to two lanes in each direction plus a turning lane. However, the retention of the bus bay would require widening into the Northern Suburbs Cemetery. Traffic modelling for this study indicated that the improvement to traffic flow result in an overall travel time saving of between 30 seconds and 3 minutes for eastbound buses on Delhi Road. The fact that as there will be two eastbound lanes allows traffic to pass a bus stopped in the kerbside lane. This will also avoid the need for the bus to merge back into the kerbside traffic lane when leaving the bus stop.

NORTH

Aerial Photograph Source: ©2012 Google, Imagery © Sinclair Knight Merz 2011



7.4 Public transport impact

7.4.1 Train patronage

The excellent accessibility of the site to North Ryde Station is the main reason for proposing a TOD style development. It is anticipated that between 1,150 and 1,300 peak hour passenger train trips would be added into and out of North Ryde Station during the morning and afternoon peak hours respectively.

Train frequencies are currently four per hour in each direction in the peak at North Ryde Station. Sydney’s Rail Futures (TfNSW, 2012) identifies that with the opening of the NWRL, long-term train frequencies could increase to 12 trains per hour in each direction.

Assuming a travel bias of 60% of employee train passengers travelling from the west and a bias of 60% of resident train passengers travelling to the east (towards the City and Chatswood), the estimated increase in train loading is between 15 and 40 passengers per train during the peak periods.

One of the objectives of the development from the outset has been to make better use of North Ryde Station to get better value for the Government from its construction. It is expected that the Project would contribute an additional 3,660 passengers entering the Station per day. Combined with the1,450 surveyed in 2011, station patronage is expected to grow to approximately 5,150 station entries per day, excluding growth from areas outside the Project.

Access to North Ryde Station would be improved for people within and outside the project. The potential opening up of an entry at the lower level and the connection to Riverside Corporate Park at Road 18 allows employees within the adjacent business area. The Delhi Road and M2 Motorway pedestrian and cycle bridge would link with the Epping Road pedestrian bridge to improve access for North Ryde residents near Ryrie Street. Options to improve the connection to North Ryde residents around Pittwater Road and Blenheim Street are being investigated.

New cycle facilities would be provided within the public space near the proposed lower-level entry. Kiss-and-ride facilities are already provided on Delhi Road. These will remain the most convenient facility for many people. However, a No Parking area would be created on the northern side of Station Street to allow vehicles travelling from other directions (e.g. Delhi Road eastbound) to drop passengers close to North Ryde Station.

7.4.2 Bus patronage

Forecasts indicate that the Project would add 640 and 720 peak hour bus passenger trips during the morning and afternoon peak hours respectively. These passengers will be spread over the large number of different bus routes that pass through the area. It is expected that bus services would grow to match the increase in demand. An analysis of the potential directional of travel based on the major directions is shown in Table 7.1.



Table 7.1 Bus passengers generated by The Project by direction and corridor

Direction AM peak hour PM peak hour

Towards Sites From Sites Towards Sites From Sites

East - Delhi Road 25 23 25 36

East - Epping Road 68 90 96 77

South - Blenheim Road 36 17 18 41

South - Top Ryde 51 38 41 60

West - Epping Road/Waterloo Road 119 90 93 145

M2 Motorway 65 17 18 69

North - Lane Cove Road (interchange) 3 1 1 4

Total 368 276 292 433

Comparing this breakdown of additional bus trips to the current timetables frequency, as outlined in Table 4.9, it is expected that the greatest difference between current service levels and future demand will occur on:

services to Top Ryde throughout the day

Epping Road and Waterloo Road services throughout the day

M2 Motorway services during off-peak times.

Boosting services along the Epping Road/Waterloo Road corridor will build on the current Strategic Bus Corridor and can be done gradually as demand increases. The Project could add between four and six passengers per bus (based on current bus frequencies) on average during the peak period. The off-peak M2 service issue may become redundant after the opening of the NWRL.

The major deficiency in the bus network appears to be the connection of the Project sites to Top Ryde for local trips. Routes 533 and 534 do not directly serve the bus stops on the main road. While the sites do have access to major shopping and restaurants in Macquarie Centre, Top Ryde is a regionally significant shopping, restaurant centre with civic and community facilities (e.g. library). It is also not served by a rail line. If existing services could be diverted to operate on the main road, potentially with a new local service to serve trips inside the existing North Ryde suburb, this could strengthen the connection to Top Ryde.

7.4.3 Bus travel time

As discussed in sections 9.4 and 9.5, the current traffic congestion on major arterial road is expected to increase, regardless of whether the Project proceeds. This increase in congestion will affect bus travel times and reliability in sections of the bus network that do not have bus priority. The Project has reduced its parking rates and improved access to public transport, walking and cycling in an effort to reduce the number of car trips that add to traffic congestion. However, with the road network so close to its capacity it is likely that any increase in traffic will increase delays to buses. Traffic modelling indicates that bus travel times will stay relatively static during the AM peak with the upgrades proposed (overall 1% decrease) but experience an increase of 9% during the afternoon peak.



The Project has proposed road network upgrades to improve travel times for all vehicles, which will reduce the impact of traffic congestion on buses. This includes the widening of Delhi Road to accommodate two eastbound lanes. It is proposed that the current bus lane/queue jump will no longer be necessary, with buses stopping in the kerbside lane. Traffic modelling indicates that the upgrade of Delhi Road upgrade will reduce the travel time for eastbound buses by approximately 30 seconds in the morning peak and up to 3 minutes during the afternoon peak, more than compensating for the removal of the short bus lane.

7.4.4 Extension of bus services

M2 Site

Transport for NSW is currently planning for an expansion of bus services to the Macquarie Park area. Limited terminus space at current termini has prompted the need to identify new sites that could be made suitable for use as a bus terminus in the future. One site identified is the M2 Site, which may need to accommodate space for one bus route. The broad details and benefits for this proposal were seen by TfNSW as:

Providing access to a bus service without having to cross a major road. TfNSW were concerned that the time and crossing locations would act as a deterrent to bus use, and that a service within the site would be more successful in reducing car use.

The Spine Road (via the Wicks Road/Waterloo Road intersection), combined with terminus facilities in the retail/residential area near the M2 Motorway/Delhi Road corner of the M2 Site should be made available for one bus route.

Indicative frequencies of the bus route would be every 10 minutes in peak periods and every 30 minutes during off peak, night, Saturday and Sunday.

The Project has been planned with a route suitable for use by 12.5 m long buses on Spine Street and Loop Street. Space for a bus stop could be made available by removing on-street parking if a bus route is extended into the site. Public toilet facilities will be available within the area.

Station Sites

In the event of a temporary closure of North Ryde Station for maintenance or in an emergency, there may be a need for buses to load and unload rail passengers. Usually this would be done at the bus stops on Delhi Road, however there may be a new for buses to enter the Station sites to access the potential new lower level entry into North Ryde Station. To accommodate this, the roundabout on Station Street near the new lower level entry into North Ryde Station has been widened to make it wide enough for use by a 12.5 m long bus.



8. Parking The Project is in a unique position to provide a transit oriented development due to:

Its proximity to a rail station with frequent services.

Its proximity to a major bus corridor and local bus services.

Its close proximity (within walking distance) of Macquarie Park employment, Macquarie Centre shopping, entertainment and community facilities.

Its potential selection by people with a lower level of car use than those used as a basis for setting the Ryde Council parking requirements, such as university students, young professionals, etc.

Its planned high degree of walkability and cycle-friendly networks.

Its mixed use of retail, commercial, residential and community land uses, allowing the potential for trip containment and trip sharing – i.e. the combination of multiple trip purposes/destinations within the one journey and reduced overall trip length.

For these reasons, it is proposed that the provision for car parking within the site should be provided at a suitable rate for this development. These proposed rates recognise the potential higher mode share for public transport, walking and cycling.

8.1 Off-street parking

Off-street parking rates have been benchmarked against other areas with similar transport characteristics and constrained parking supply. The DCP/LEP parking rates for Ryde/Macquarie Park are shown in Table 8.1 along with the applicable rates for Green Square and North Sydney. Parking rates for CoR are typically higher than those for North Sydney and Green Square (in City of Sydney).

Table 8.1 Parking controls at various centres

Ryde1 Green Square2 North Sydney3

Residential Studio dwelling 0.5 1 One bedroom dwelling 0.6 to 1 0.5 1 Two bedroom dwelling 0.9 to 1.2 1 1 Three bedroom dwelling 1.4 to 1.6 1.2 1.5

Visitor 1 per 5 dwellings

0.2 per dwelling for the first 30 dwellings, 0.125 per dwelling for the

next 40 dwellings and 0.067 per dwelling for any dwellings above 70

1 per 4 dwellings

Serviced apartment 1 per 1.5 units

Motorcycle 1 per 10 car

parking spaces

1 per 10 car parking spaces



Ryde1 Green Square2 North Sydney3

Commercial

Employee/visitor 1 space/80 m2

maximum4 1 space/75 m2 1 space/400 m2 or

1 space/60 m2 Motorcycle 1 per 10 car spaces Retail 1 space/25 m2 1 space/50 m2 1 space/400 m2

(1) Development Control Plan 2011 Part 9.3 Parking Controls, City of Ryde (2) Draft Sydney Development Control Plan 2010, Section 2 – General Provisions, City of Sydney (3) Draft North Sydney Development Control Plan 2010 Section 10 Car Parking and Transport, North Sydney Council, rates

are maximum values, lower parking rates for commercial properties apply within prescribed high public transport areas. (4) Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2011 Macquarie Park Corridor Parking Restrictions Map Sheet MPP_009 and

recommended in the Macquarie Park Transport Management and Accessibility Plan, PBA International and Maunsell, 2002

The parking rates for the Project are based on the rates for Green Square and North Sydney, as well as being tailored to achieve a balance between the road space available on the road network and liveability. They are based on the mode share targets outlined in Section 6.1, which are considered achievable given the sites access to public transport, proximity to employment, Macquarie University and TOD characteristics. Parking has been constrained to promote the use of alternative modes of transport and reduce the traffic impact of the development on the surrounding congested road network.

The parking rates are summarised as follows:

Varying residential parking rates depending on the proximity to North Ryde Station. The rates outlined below include resident and visitor space rates:

0.8 spaces per dwelling for M2 Site superlots M4 to M6

0.9 spaces per dwelling for M2 Site superlots M8 to M12 and the RMS Site

1.2 spaces per dwelling for the OSL Site.

Commercial rates (1 space per 90 m2 GLFA) slightly under the maximum rate outlined in the Ryde Local Environmental Plan 2011 Macquarie Park Corridor Parking Restrictions Map.

Retail parking at a low rate of 1 space per 100 m2 GLFA with a higher rate for the small supermarket (1 space per 60 m2 GLFA).

Community centre parking (1 space per 100 m2 GLFA) based on anticipated demand and predominantly local use (by walk and cycle). An additional 25 car share spaces would be provided within the facility for use by residents and employees.

Serviced apartments (1 per 3 rooms).

Student accommodation (1 per 3 rooms).

Applying these rates to the development areas proposed within the development, the number of spaces per superlot and by land use are summarised in Table 8.2. These rates are maximum values. Motorcycle spaces would be provided in addition based on a rate of 1 per 10 car spaces.



Table 8.2 Proposed maximum off-street car parking rates and numbers

Superlot Quantity Parking rate Parking spaces

M2 Site

M1 5,100 m2 GLFA Commercial: 1 space per 90 m2 GLFA 57



M4 161 dwellings Residential: 0.8 spaces per dwellings 129

2,300 m2 GLFA Small supermarket: 1 space per 60 m2 GLFA 38


2,600 m2 GLFA Retail: 1 space per 100 m2 GLFA 26


M7 2,500 m2 GLFA Community Centre: 1 space per 100 m2 GLFA 25

M8 565 dwellings Residential: 0.9 space per dwellings 509


100 m2 GLFA Retail: 1 space per 100 m2 GLFA 1




M2 Site Total 271 Commercial, 1,854 Residential, 38 Supermarket, 27 Retail, 25 Community Centre

2,215 Sub-total

Station Site North

S1 10,000 m 2 GLFA Serviced apartments: 1 per 3 bedrooms 50

S2 7,500 m GLFA2 Student accommodation: 1 per 3 bedrooms 39

S3 20,000 m2 GLFA Commercial: 1 space per 90 m2 GLFA 222


Station Site total 50 Serviced Apartments, 222 Commercial, 9 Retail, 39 Student Accommodation

320 Sub-total

Station Site South

G1 31,225 m2 GLFA Commercial: 1 space per 90 m2 GLFA 347

294 dwellings Residential: 0.8 spaces per dwelling 235

Station Site total 235 Residential, 347 Commercial 582 Sub-total

OSL Site

O1 126 dwellings Residential: 1.2 spaces per dwelling 151


OSL Site Total 151 Residential, 2 Retail 153 Sub-total

RMS Site

R1 28 dwellings Residential: 1 space per 0.9 dwellings 26 Sub-total

Project total 840 Commercial, 2,265 Residential, 38 Supermarket, 38 Retail, 25 Community Centre, 50 Serviced Apartments, 39 Student Accommodation

3,296 Total

(1) Motorcycle parking provided in addition at a rate of 1 space per 10 car parking spaces (2) All values are maximum (3) Does not include on-street parking



The proposed parking rates are lower than the maximum rates for commercial developments provided in Ryde LEP. They are also lower than the residential and retail parking rates prescribed in Ryde DCP. It is noted that the DCP allows for other factors to be considered, such as the level of access to public transport from the Project sites.

8.2 On-street parking

Kerb-side parking stimulates street activity, manages speed by providing friction, can contribute to casual surveillance and provides a buffer between the verge/footpath and the moving traffic. Limited on-street parking would be used to support local businesses. It would be used to compliment the off-street provision for visitors and specific parking needs. On street parking has been allocated based on:

Disabled parking – 3% to comply with Ryde DCP and AS2890.1 (1993) (the 2004 edition did not include recommend percentages for accessible parking).

Car share spaces to achieve on-street visibility for the scheme and minimise walk distances.

Loading zones – whilst most would occur in off-street loading docks, some on-street space is proposed to facilitate short-stay deliveries. The loading zone in the Station Site is proposed for weekdays from 7.00 am to 5.00 pm with No Stopping during the afternoon peak to make the space available for queuing.

Short-stay parking would be located within the commercial and retail areas of the M2 Site and Station Site. It would be a mixture of 1 hour and 2 hour limit 7.00 am to 7.00 pm Monday–Friday and 8.30 am to 12.30 pm Saturday.

One ‘kiss-and-ride’ would be provided on Station Street near the pedestrian crossing to the proposed new lower-level entry to North Ryde Station.

Medium parking (considered to be 4 hour limit 7.00 am to 7.00 pm Monday to Friday) would be considered for the remainder of on-street parking (mainly in the residential areas.

Due to the proximity to North Ryde Station, time limited parking is proposed to encourage commuters to use other modes to get to the Station. Time limits of 1 to 2 hours would be appropriate for the retail and commercial areas, as it would restrict commuter use and allow enough time for shopping/meetings/visiting restaurants. Loading zones would be time limited to 1 hour.

On-street parking spaces along residential streets within 800 m of the Station may experience commuter parking, making them unavailable for residents and visitors. A four hour time limit on parking is proposed for the remaining streets.

The total on-street parking space numbers are shown in Table 8.3. The parking numbers for car share, disabled parking, loading zones and kiss and ride have been allocated as outlined previously. The short-term and medium term parking numbers represent an allocation of the remaining parking spaces available after the allocation of spaces to other parking groups, rather than a required number to be provided. All car/van parking would be parallel parking apart from the OSL Site, which would have 90 degree parking.



Table 8.3 Proposed on-street parking allocation

Parking type M2 Site Station Site North and South OSL Site2

Car share (on-street)1 26 15 2

Disabled 3 1 1

Loading zone 2 1 0

Kiss & Ride - 1 -

Short-stay timed 24 17 12

Medium-stay timed 48 - -

Timed midday and night-time

6 - -

Motorcycle parking 9+ 4+ 1+

Total (on-street) 109 car, 9 motorcycle 35 car, 4 motorcycle 15 car, 1 motorcycle

(1) In addition to off-street spaces at Community Centre (2) 90 degree parking

The car share numbers proposed are based on the ultimate number calculated using the rates outlined in section 8.3. Initially, these spaces may be allocated for other uses until demand for car share has increased sufficiently. They have been provided on-street to maximise the visibility of the service to increase the chance of success for the scheme. Alternative underground parking space is available within the community centre.

Parking overspill

The potential for parking overspill into surrounding areas is limited by the barrier effect created by the busy arterial roads. The site that is closest to the existing residential areas of North Ryde is the OSL Site, which also has the highest residential parking rate at 1.2 spaces per dwelling, plus on-street parking within the site.

Parking overspill from the M2 Site is unlikely given the sites access to Epping Road buses, North Ryde Station via the Delhi Road pedestrian bridge and car share vehicles within the development. Parking overspill in Ryrie Street and Morshead Street is similarly unlikely due to the walk distance involved. However, it is recommended that parking on these streets should be periodically reviewed to avoid parking impacts. Potential treatments may include the expansion of the 4 hour daytime parking proposed for within the M2 Site.

Paid parking

Time limited parking is usually introduced with a pricing mechanism. Time limited parking theoretically provides turnover, but is not as effective in doing this as paid on-street parking. Additionally, time limited parking can act as a minor incentive for driving and parking, when compared with more sustainable modes as it gives the driver some certainty that a space will become available.

Meters usually have been the mainstay of enforcing time controlled parking in urban centres around the world. They are usually financially rewarding for the authority and effective in providing equal access to kerb-space. Metered parking is used in other streets in Macquarie Park and is proposed for the on-street parking in the Project. It is one measure that could be used to manage excess parking demand and provide funding for further transit and active mode improvements.



Commuter parking at North Ryde Station

Due to the proximity of the development to the CBD and the congestion on the surrounding road network, it is recommended that North Ryde Station would not be a suitable location for rail commuter parking. Commuter parking would compete for the small amount of remaining road capacity with development traffic. It is more appropriate for North Ryde Station to be well connected into the bus, pedestrian and cycle network, and for these to be promoted as the station’s access modes.

8.3 Car share

Car share spaces would be provided to enable residents without a car space to still have access to a car when it is the most appropriate means of transport, whilst still relying on public transport, walking and cycling for the majority of their trips. Preliminary discussions have been held with car share company GoGet about the feasibility of car share in the Project and qualities that improve the success of car share schemes. The results of the discussion were:

Car share is compatible with transit-oriented developments due to the restricted parking and good access to public transport services.

The scheme would start initially with three vehicles once there are enough people within the site to sustain the service and then gradually build up the numbers as demand dictates.

Incentives can be offered on membership fees to stimulate initial take-up of the scheme.

The preferred location for parking spaces designated for car share is on-street to maximise the visibility of the service and ensure that spaces are always accessible.

Off-street spaces can be provided 24-hour electronic access can be provided to car share members.

Car share spaces would be provided within the M2 Site, Station Site and OSL Site. Based on the ultimate development yield outlines in Table 3.1, the anticipated number of spaces has been calculated based on the following:

1 car share space per 50 regular spaces for commercial – 5 for M2 Site, 4 for Station Site North, 7 for Station Site South

1 car share space per 90 regular spaces for residential – 21 for M2 Site, 1 for Station Site North, 3 for Station Site South, 2 for OSL Site, none for RMS Site.

These spaces are proposed to be located on-street as per the advice from GoGet. Alternative underground parking space is available within the community centre.

8.4 Bicycle parking

Bicycle parking, in excess of City of Ryde’s rates, is proposed to act as an incentive to increase cycle use and restrict private vehicle use. Cycle parking for the student accommodation would be provided at the same rate as the residential dwelling rate, as Macquarie University is within a cycleable distance from the development, with direct cycle paths between the two. The proposed bicycle rates are shown in Table 8.4 and will form a requirement of the DCP.



Table 8.4 Proposed minimum bicycle rates and numbers

Bicycle parking rate Bicycle space numbers

Resident/ employee

Visitor Resident/ employee

Visitor

Residential 1 per 1.2 dwellings

1 per 10 dwellings 1,859 223

Student 1 per 1.2 dwellings

1 per 10 dwellings 125 15

Serviced Apartment 1 per 4 staff 1 per 20 rooms 10 (assuming 40 staff)

10

Commercial 1 per 150 m2 GFA

1 per 600 m2 GFA 296 74

Retail 1 per 100 m2 GFA

2 plus 1 for every 100 m2 over 100 m2 GFA

61 66 Restaurant 1 per 100 m2

public area 2 plus 1 for every 100 m2 over

100 m2 GFA

North Ryde Station - 1.5% passengers assuming 7,000 passengers

entering per day, 43% during the AM peak and midday

- 45

Total 2,351 433

The residential rate equates to around 83% of dwellings having a bicycle parking space. This allows the majority of residents to have access to a space, but does not force residents to have one. A residential rate of 1 per 1.2 dwellings would mean that one in six is used per day. These are minimum rates – a developer could offer 1 spare per dwelling if they see a commercial advantage in doing this.

Bicycle parking at North Ryde Station

Cycle parking, in the form of cycle lockers and hoops/racks, would be provided at North Ryde Station to meet current and future demand. These would be located within the lower level forecourt area and would be in addition to the current racks near the Delhi Road entrance.

From work previously undertaken by Parsons Brinckerhoff on behalf of Premier’s Council for Active Living (March 2009), bike parking rates at stations within the Sydney Metropolitan network were recorded at between 0% and 3% of rail passengers. Stations such as Epping (0.7%) and Eastwood (0.4%) were close to the average result. Based on the average plus one standard deviation to allow for an increase in popularity of cycling as an access/egress mode, it is proposed that bicycle parking would be provided at a rate of 1.5% of rail station entry patronage. Assuming a future station patronage of 7,000 entries per weekday, and that 43% of passengers enter the station during the AM peak and midday period, this equates to an ultimate provision of 45 bicycle parking spaces. Space is currently provided for six bicycles on three hoops on Epping Road. The actual number of bicycle parking would be provided in stages as demand increases.

ADP-1207-TRA 2/9

For investigation purposes only, Draft 2 – 4 September 2012, Not to Scale

Right-turn lane, need to remove some

parking

Treatment to prevent vehicles attempting to

access LCT entry

Relocate and improve ramp from Lucknow Road/Rivett Road to Epping Road Ramp

Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2012 This sketch is preliminary only and has been produced to illustrate the concept. It has not had any input from a suitably experienced road designer. The extent of works may change after road design input. No services search has been performed - identification of

services and relocation items has been based on a visual inspection only. Additional land requires surveying. Aerial Photograph Source: ©2012 Google, Imagery © Sinclair Knight Merz 2011

New pedestrian crossing

New eastbound on-ramp in addition to current connection

Documents

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