I've been building a patronage and capacity model. This model covers the years 2014, 2024, 2036 and 2049. First let's look at the 2014 rail system numbers, and my projections for 2024. I've taken a pretty simplistic approach of just taking the 2006-2014 compound annual patronage growth rates and projecting these out to 2024, but this more or less aligns with TfNSW's line-by-line growth projections to 2019 (they use a slightly higher growth rate for the Western line).
Some more specific notes to explain the tables below:
1.
Baseline 2014 data: taken from TfNSW Bureau of Travel
Statistics train station barrier counts.
2.
Forecast 2024 data: projected from 2014 data using
historical growth rates 2006-2014.
* NWRL data taken from TfNSW projections and added to North Shore
& NWRL 2014-2024 growth rate.
3.
AM peak entries: apply to the period 6am to 9:30am.
4.
Suburban transfers/exits: see explanatory note after
tables.
5.
Peak Pax to Capacity Ratio: interpretation is as
follows
* ratio ~ 0 to 1: well below capacity even during peak
hour (8am-9am)
* ratio ~ 1 to 2: at capacity during peak hour, spare
capacity in shoulder periods of AM peak
* ratio ~ 2 to 3: at capacity during
peak hour & during shoulder periods of AM peak
* ratio ~ 3+: exceeds
capacity even in shoulder periods
Ok, here are my spreadsheet tables for 2014 & 2024. (Future post will cover 2036 & 2049).
Some interesting details discussed below are the following:
1. Sydney Metro already has a hidden "West Metro" branch
2. The critical role of suburban interchange at Strathfield in balancing overall system patronage.