Sydney's weekend traffic not only rivals weekday peak hour but also lasts through most of the day
JIM O'ROURKE TRANSPORT REPORTER THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH NOVEMBER 23, 2013
SOCCER mums and DIY dads are causing weekend traffic congestion that not only rivals weekday peak hours but which lasts most of the day.
Where weekday traffic has three peaks - at 8.30am, 3.30pm and 5.30pm - on Saturdays and Sundays, roads are clogged by 10.30am, with no let-up until 5.30pm.
Traffic at 11am on a weekend is now the same as at 5pm on a weekday, when there are close to 500,000 travellers on Sydney's roads, according to the state government's Household Travel Survey 2011-12.
And that number does not drop below 350,000 on a weekend until after 5.30pm.
Where weekday peaks coincide with trips to and from work and the afternoon school pick-up, the weekend traffic is constant as parents run their sport and activity-mad children to venues or make the weekend run to Bunnings.
The Bureau of Transport Statistics reveals weekend traffic volumes have risen by 14 per cent in the past decade compared with an 8 per cent growth during the rest of the week.
While there are fewer cars on the roads on a weekend, they make more trips. Transport NSW figures show Sydneysiders make 15 million car journeys over the weekend.
Multiple journeys to children's sport, dance and swimming classes, to visit friends and relatives or to go to the supermarket adds to congestion on roads.
Reduced weekend train and bus services, combined with a lack of weekend Clearway restrictions on main routes, adds to the problems.
Traffic levels per time of day Source: Supplied
To make matters worse, car ownership in Sydney is up 24 per cent in the past decade to 2.6 million vehicles.
The city's population has grown by 12 per cent to 4.5 million in the same period.
There are now 1.54 vehicles for every Sydney household. About 42 per cent of households own two or more cars.
The NSW government has been considering introducing permanent weekend clearways at congestion hot spots such as Victoria Rd through Rozelle, Military Rd at Neutral Bay and Cremorne, Bondi Rd, sections of Parramatta Rd, the Princes Hwy at Rockdale and along King St, Newtown.
Roads Minister Duncan Gay is expected to make an announcement within weeks that may upset businesses relying on passing trade along busy routes. It will force motorists to park in residential backstreets.
NRMA president Wendy Machin said although the government was considering some weekend clearways, it could use technology more to alert drivers to congestion.
"The use of variable roadside signage and mobile phone apps could alert motorists to problems and to better plan their journeys. Technology could help motorists find off-street parking. People driving aimlessly looking for parking on weekends is contributing to the problem," Ms Machin said.
Although future road projects such as WestConnex and the M2 to M1 link would help, the NRMA said the government needed to focus on managing weekend traffic.
Sydney University traffic expert Stephen Greaves agrees pressure is mounting for weekend clearways on some major routes, but he believes their introduction may depend on who has the strongest lobbying group - the motorists, businesses or residents.
Zoe Kavanagh, 14 (blue), Sophie Kavanagh, 9 (white sports top) Jess Cunningham and Shannon Kavanagh (mum). Source: News Corp Australia
WEEKEND NIGHTMARE FOR SPORTING FAMILY
THE Kavanagh kids love to play sport - a lot of sport.
With four children aged under 15, mum Shannon and dad David spend five hours in their cars every weekend, battling clogged roads as they zigzag for 150km from their home in West Pennant Hills to indoor soccer, Little Athletics, horse riding and indoor hockey venues across the city.
"The traffic is a shocker," Mrs Kavanagh said. "We spend about $70 in petrol driving them around. No matter where we have to go, you sit in your car to wait for the traffic lights to change three times before you can get on to a main road.
"It seems to be worse in the middle of the day. From about 11am onwards it's really terrible. If you want to get anywhere on time you have to know all the backstreets to get around."
Mrs Kavanagh said weekend driving was a "nightmare" for the family. She takes daughters Zoe, 14, Alana, 10, and Sophie, 9, as well as Zoe's best friend Jessica, to a Little Athletics meet at Carlingford for an early morning start, before taking on the traffic at 11am to get home and get the children changed for horse riding at Dural.
"The drive to Dural can take 25 to 30 minutes, when it should only take about a quarter of an hour," she said.
"On Sunday the girls play indoor hockey at Ryde, but the traffic along Victoria Rd and Pennant Hills Rd is shocking, even then."
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