The Numbers Show the Need
Despite being identified as a priority growth region for Sydney poised for rapid growth, Pyrmont actually has the lowest number of transportation routes in the Sydney Metro area at only 4 - and one of them is a school bus!
Figures from demographic platform and consulting group AreaSearch, that assess all transportation data across the country, show just how dire the situation in Pyrmont is.
Pyrmont's four routes (389 bus, light rail, 501 bus and the Ultimo Primary School bus) trail the Greater Sydney average of 48 routes per area substantially.
Further, with an estimated population level of 13,001 residents, as of June 2022 according to recent ABS data, Pyrmont possesses one transport route for every 3,250 people compared to the Sydney average of one route for every 429 people.
This situation is even worse when considering 18,812 people also reported Pyrmont as their primary workplace at the 2021 Census！
Despite being identified as a priority growth region for Sydney poised for rapid growth, Pyrmont actually has the lowest number of transportation routes in the Sydney Metro area at only 4 - and one of them is a school bus!
Figures from demographic platform and consulting group AreaSearch, that assess all transportation data across the country, show just how dire the situation in Pyrmont is.
Pyrmont's four routes (389 bus, light rail, 501 bus and the Ultimo Primary School bus) trail the Greater Sydney average of 48 routes per area substantially.
Further, with an estimated population level of 13,001 residents, as of June 2022 according to recent ABS data, Pyrmont possesses one transport route for every 3,250 people compared to the Sydney average of one route for every 429 people.
This situation is even worse when considering 18,812 people also reported Pyrmont as their primary workplace at the 2021 Census！
Average Transport Routes
Residents per Transport Route
Source: AreaSearch / ABS / GTFS
Note: Areas shown are on ABS 'Statistical Area Level 2' basis with population as at the ABS estimate for June 2022.
Comparing Pyrmont to other Sydney inner areas shows how stark the transport disparity is:
While the Pyrmont Bay Ferry may be touted as being absent in these figures, the ferry actually sits within the suburb of Sydney itself (see map here: https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL13730) which gives credence to many locals' arguments that it is simply not convenient or accessible by older residents who are being effectively told to "walk to Sydney, to catch a ferry to Sydney".
AreaSearch founder and Pyrmont resident Chris Freeman said:
"While there is more to transport assessment than the number of routes, with such a low number of routes in Pyrmont the level of community engagement on this topic is certainly understandable - especially when the routes we do have are re-routed to inconvenient locations. With a ferry passing the Pyrmont Peninsula almost every 20 minutes that is typically lacking passengers, there seems to be some easy wins for the new State Government to help the area, which has virtually doubled in size since the 2001 Census, thrive into the future."