FAST: A sustainable urban mobility plan for Liverpool

This project will assess emerging sustainable urban mobility opportunities for the rapidly growing community of Liverpool, NSW. It looks at mobility challenges in both new growth areas and existing suburbs, and opportunities for interventions to enable more sustainable accessibility patterns. This work is underpinned by the opening of the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, and Liverpool City Council’s plans to connect Liverpool to the new airport with the Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit (FAST) Corridor project.

The study will develop strategies for improved mobility and accessibility for residents, workers, and visitors in this outer-urban part of the Sydney basin. To do this, we will prototype a Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning process. The study seeks to align with ongoing strategic and statutory planning processes underway in Liverpool to provide for the region’s rapid growth and change.

Participants

• • • Liverpool City Council
    • University of Sydney
      

Project background

Liverpool is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia, emerging as Sydney’s third CBD. Projects such as the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit (FAST) Corridor are transforming the opportunities available in Liverpool LGA.

Liverpool currently has significant urban mobility challenges, along with relatively low public and active transport mode share, and the road network experiences high levels of congestion and delay. Concerns about the transport network regularly feature highly in Council’s community engagement and outreach activities.

The Liverpool Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) seeks to address these concerns through a number of priorities and actions. These include:

Local Planning Priority 1 – Active and public transport reflecting Liverpool’s strategic significance

The Council will:

• Advocate for improvements to public transport connections and timetabling providing Liverpool residents with fast access to other major centres and key infrastructure such as Western Sydney International Airport and the Sydney CBD;
• Work to ensure all Liverpool’s residents and workers can access the benefits of the 30-minute city; and
• Review and amend Liverpool’s LEP (Local Environmental Plan) to reflect outcomes of this Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.

Local Planning Priority 2 – A rapid smart transit link between Liverpool and Western Sydney International Airport

The Council will:

• Progress the FAST Corridor to deliver a high-quality rapid transit connection to Western Sydney International Airport;
• Increase connectivity to the airport to support jobs growth and airport viability;
• Create transit- and landscape-orientated development along the route at appropriate locations and at an appropriate scale; and
• Finalise investigations into the FAST corridor in collaboration with State and Federal government agencies.

Local Planning Priority 3 – Accessible and connected suburbs

The Council will:

• Link suburbs and centres with each other and Liverpool City Centre by a network of pathways and cycleways integrated into a system of parks and open space;
• Advocate for improvements to public transport connections and timetabling for suburban areas and centres;
• Use placemaking principles to ensure that public transport infrastructure and accessibility to suburban centres is optimised; and
• LSPS Action 3.2 – Optimise public transport infrastructure and accessibility as well as connectivity to pathways and cycleways as part of placemaking for neighbourhood centres.

Project objectives

The project aims to develop strategies to improve mobility and accessibility outcomes for residents, workers, and others in and around the corridor. To do this, we will prototype a Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning process for the Liverpool LGA.

It seeks to draw on domestic and international urban mobility planning experience and apply this to the particular outer-urban context of fast-growing Liverpool.

Final report

This project has been completed, and a wrap-up of the project, along with a download of its final report, is available at: Liverpool Sustainable Urban Mobility Study.