The Sydney Olympic Park Business Association supports the decision to construct the WestConnex motorway, a transformative piece of infrastructure that has the potential to dramatically improve the amenity and liveability of Western Sydney, bring enormous economic benefits to the region and state and significantly enhance the quality of life for many western Sydney residents.

If undertaken effectively , we believe the WestConnex motorway gives an unprecedented opportunity to ease traffic congestion on roads surrounding Sydney Olympic Park, connect communities within the Park and its neighbouring communities (and Urban Activation Precincts) of Wentworth Point and Carter Street to the greater Sydney region, provide the missing link with connections between the east and west and contribute to the precinct’s vibrancy, appeal and potential.

However the WestConnex project does not offer a fully integrated solution which addresses the commuter needs of the expanding business, resident, student and event populations in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct and surrounding precincts.
Whilst an on-ramp is proposed to be built from Hill Road onto the M4, no off-ramp is proposed to provide a much needed, direct way to access the Precinct travelling from east to west and alleviate the already congested Australia Avenue Roundabout.

As one of the fastest growing precincts in Sydney, the Park has experienced exponential growth in its residential, business and visitor populations in recent times. Since 2011, the employee population in Sydney Olympic Park has grown from 10,000 to well over 14,000.

Sydney Olympic Park is a thriving and dynamic destination and a significant contributor of economic benefits to the country. It ranks among Australia’s top 20 performing locations for economic output and generates more than $1 billion in economic activity per annum. Already a major event destination, Sydney Olympic Park was also named as one of the key precincts to host conferences, exhibitions and entertainment during the three year reconstruction period (2013-2016) of the Sydney Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Despite the Park’s expanded role as a premier business, residential and event precinct, little has been done since the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games to improve access and egress to the Park for the millions of people who use, live and work here. This lack of investment in infrastructure to keep pace with the growth of the Park is now threatening the sustainability of the Park as the number of stakeholders and visitors continue to grow. In 2013 there were 13.9 million visitors to Sydney Olympic Park with this number to grow with increased events and the completion of new commercial and residential developments.

The Sydney Olympic Park Business Association believes the WestConnex motorway gives the opportunity to address the lack of improvements to access and egress since 1999, but not with half measures if the Park is to function according to community expectations and remain viable as one of Australia’s leading major sporting and entertainment precincts.