Gosford more than 30 minutes away, document shows
The majority of the Peninsula's population is well outside a 30-minute trip by public transport to Gosford, a NSW department of transport document has shown.
The document also reveals "a high concentration of crashes recorded between 2016 and 2020 occurred around Woy Woy and Umina".
The document is the draft regional transport plan which claims to be "a blueprint" to "address the key trends and transport needs of the Central Coast through to 2041".
The draft is open for public comment until Friday, February 24.
Despite having an objective to "expand the 30-minute public transport catchment of Gosford, (as) the region's capital", it does not say how far it would be expanded or provide specific measures to achieve it.
To achieve the objective, the document simply says the department would: "invest in efficient modes of transport such as public transport, investigate opportunities to improve bus services and improve integration of transport modes".
The document does not address possibilities for the Peninsula, but makes the general comment: "The 30-minute city will require more efficient modes of transport - public transport, shared transport and walking and cycling - to play a greater role."
The Plan takes a similar approach with "crash clusters", stating it would "implement targeted improvements".
The department would "continue to work with local government to resolve crash clusters and priority sites".
However, apart from current work on the Ocean Beach-Rawson Rd, it only refers to unspecified "Woy Woy road network improvements".
While referring to "fast rail", it does not mention the Rawson Rd level crossing, the site of a fatality.
It also does not say whether Woy Woy would be a fast rail stop.
The document makes few references to the Peninsula.
Umina and Ettalong are mentioned seven times each, with Woy Woy having 22 mentions.
Most are labels in maps or in captions for pictures showing the cyclepath, the wharf, bike parking and the "now complete" on-demand bus trial.
The "new shared zone and activation of The Esplanade at Umina Beach" is mentioned as an example of "15-minute neighbourhood planning principles".
The Plan says: "Better integration between land use and transport planning will see more of the population within 30 minutes' travel to jobs, education, hospitals, and retail throughout the Central Coast and within 15 minutes' travel to neighbourhood businesses such as cafes, supermarkets and community facilities."
"The 15-minute region is a principle about living locally and reflects the value people place on vibrant neighbourhoods where most of their everyday needs can be reached within 15 minutes by using public transport, walking or cycling - rather than by taking trips by private car.
"The principle responds to the way people increasingly want to live which has been reinforced in light of Covid-19."
The Plan does not show the 15-minute catchment of supermarkets on the Peninsula, or elsewhere.
While commenting that "Covid-19 has caused significant changes in travel patterns, with more people working remotely and travelling less for work, changing their mode of transport, or travelling at off-peak times", the document provides no data to support this.
It makes no mention of trends to online shopping, or the transport implications of increased shopping deliveries.
The word "deliver" is used 84 times, but refers to the department or the NSW Government acting on its policies.
Ettalong is mentioned for its Palm Beach ferry service and the channel dredging.
Woy Woy was mentioned for its "particularly diverse transport infrastructure including ferry, cycle, rail and road" and for its on-demand bus service experiment.
The on-demand service "trialled at Woy Woy demonstrated a flexible approach to investigating new transport services across the region".
Woy Woy was also mentioned for its "secure bicycle shed ... among the best-used in the network, with more than two-thirds of the 54 bike racks typically being used".
It was also mentioned that Federal Government funding will see an electric vehicle charger installed in Woy Woy.
SOURCE:
Website, 31 Jan 2023
Future Transport, Transport for NSW