Central Station Coach Terminal to relocate

[Fleet Lists]

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/newsroo ... -forecourt

Central Station Coach Terminal to relocate to Western Forecourt
29 March 2017

Transport for NSW today announced plans to relocate the Central Station Coach Terminal and coach bays from Eddy Avenue to the Western Forecourt as part of the CBD and South East Light Rail project.

All coaches currently operating from Eddy Avenue will relocate to the forecourt in late-April so that construction crews can occupy Eddy Avenue from 28 April. Coaches operating from Pitt Street will not be affected.

“We have been working closely with affected operators to ensure that they and their customers have enough notice ahead of the change,” Coordinator General Marg Prendergast said.

“The new coach terminal will improve connectivity for many customers, with a taxi rank and ‘kiss and ride’ drop-off area close by, and will give customers better access to seating, toilets and food and drink options within the Grand Concourse.

“Relocating the coach terminal for light rail will minimise traffic impacts on Eddy Avenue – it’s a key piece of the puzzle for the project which is on track to begin services in 2019.”

From 1 April, parking at the Western Forecourt will be temporarily suspended due to construction of bus bays for the new terminal. Limited parking spaces will be reinstated from 4 April.

The CBD and South East Light Rail will transform public transport in Sydney with reliable turn up and go services every four minutes between Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford via Moore Park and Central.

[Free Lance]

I just hope that somebody has the brains to realign the left turn (across the light rail tracks) from Hay St onto the Western Concourse Ramp then allow sufficient space for the coaches to manoeuvre around all the taxis that congregate at the top of the ramp at the station exit.
Also make allowances for all the trackwork buses that service the South Coast and inner west rail lines whenever those shutdowns occur.
maybe relocate at North Shore night work buses to Chalmers Street when ever that shut down occurs.
You guessed it, I don't put much faith in the powers that be.

[jpp42]

What food and drink options are in the Grand Concourse ever since the Hungry jacks fire? And when are they going to renovate that? Is there some insurance lawsuit or something that's delaying it?

[boronia]

There is a "coffee cart" on the concourse at various times. Otherwise it's downstairs to dismal offerings along Eddy Ave I guess, if they survive the lack of direct business.

[jpp42]

Oh and I guess I forgot the row of vending machines near platform 1. Lots of options there!

[Free Lance]

There is a "Gloria Jeans" opposite on George St @ Railway Square

[jpp42]

Oh sure there's plenty nearby. But the press release clearly mentions the "food and drink options within the Grand Concourse"

[Free Lance]

They are telling the truth but not the detail, yes there are options, the one and only "pie cart" two choices, use it or don't use it, though the "story" does imply a better choice and range, but the old story "Never let the facts get in the way of a tale"

[boronia]

I wonder where the operators will have their offices? Will these be the "exciting new retail experiences" in the old heritage section?

I had a look in the old shops area and nothing has been touched since the fire.

[Tonymercury]

The fire seems to have been a convenient 'lightning strike' to enable the Government to put forward its complete redevelopment for the station.

I heard Constance talking to Richard Glover after the 'Central Walk' announcement and he managed to mention, several times, how impressed he is by the GPO conversion to a hotel.

[Linto63]

Seems that the only car parking retained will be around the moat opposite Exit 1 and a handful in the north-west corner. Apart from the deliveries and taxi rank sections immediately outside Exit 1, everything else is signed 'No Standing - Coaches excepted 30 minutes maximum' with all the car park bays paint burnt off. A painted roundabout has appeared at the northern end.

Probably enough parking for at least 12 coaches, a bit excessive given that even at its busiest around 5-6pm, there are only 4 Greyhound coaches present at one time. But then with more rail replacements likely to using in the future, perhaps justified. Hopefully the mangy canvass shelters will be replaced with something a bit more permanent.

Only other departures from Eddy Avenue are Australia Wide's Orange and Port Stephens' Nelson Bay services. Presumably Big Bus and Murrays will just use their existing Pitt Street stops instead.

Before the Eddy Avenue coach stop was built, am I correct in thinking there used to be a coach station off Oxford Street?

[Stu]

Lee St now has to cope with the 309/310/391/374 services diverted from CQ, so not much quieter.

I guess northbound buses will drop at Devonshire St as they do now, and go straight to Hay St.

That "layover" at Kippax St seems to be mainly 309/310s. How can they pick up so much time when they have only come from Railway Square?

The removal of STA Northern services and Hillsbus services (and ex 378) has seen dramatic increase in lay over space.

It is only possible for 309/X09/310/X09 services to arrive early at Elizabeth St if the numerous traffic lights are being favourable and showing almost unanimous green signals.

With regards to Lee St layover being used by private operators during rail replacement operations on weekends, the first 6 x lay over spaces from the entry point (left to right) have been officially set aside for the private operators to lay over.

[Fleet Lists]

Posts relating to the light rail itself have been moved to that thread. Thread 70887.

[grog]

The previous posts were more about the location of various bus stops. Disappointed they were moved as it disrupts the discussion.

[gilberations]

Posts relating to the light rail itself have been moved to that thread. Thread 70887.

I thought those posts were very relevant

[Fleet Lists]

They were mainly posts which related to the Eastern side of Central while the move relates to the Western side.

[gilberations]

They were mainly posts which related to the Eastern side of Central while the move relates to the Western side.

Which is directly related to the light rail construction works

[Linto63]

Whoever did it made a hash of things, post of mine from 20:33 on 2 April that made no mention of light rail has ended up on that thread.

[Fleet Lists]

That has been corrected.

[Linto63]

Noticed the canvass shelter that resided at the bottom of the forecourt has been split with some of the portions moved up the hill. Maybe the relatively new bus shelters along with those on Eddy Avenue will be reused rather than binned?

[mandonov]

Most likely reused.

When the new CBD bus stops were being installed before the George Street closure, I watched a new shelter going in at Elizabeth St and Martin Place. It still had it's old location signage that read "St Mary's Cathedral".

[gilberations]

Pink relocation signs are up on eddy ave

[Linto63]

Has opened today with 4 bays on the station side and 5 alongside the Pitt Street wall. Only car parking is about 20 bays around the moat.

[Linto63]

The erection of permanent shelters around the station forecourt has begun. Will come in handy should it ever rain again in Sydney.

[Linto63]

From this week Murrays will be taking over the Central Station coach park, ie those on the Western Forecourt and stops along Pitt Street. https://busnsw.com.au/murrays-to-manage ... -may-2019/

Seems like Murrays will now be able to fill it up with their coaches laying over between Canberra runs rather than use their Alexandria depot that is only 10 minutes away. They do it anyway despite it being signposted for 30 minute stays, but now as the gate keeper they will be able to self regulate.

For the past couple of weeks, NSW TrainLink seems to have a fleet of 4 coaches crewed and ready to go in the Western Forecourt carpark throughout the day. Was Port Stephens Coaches for a while, then Australia Wide Coaches and last week All Starr and Crowthers. Has been in periods when no long distance replacements were scheduled, maybe a contingency should one of the increasingly unreliable XPTs go pop?