Participants are being urged to plan their trip on Sunday 1 November as up to 10,000 riders gear up to ride from Sydney towards Wollongong in this year’s MS Gong Ride.
Now in its 45th year, the event will see riders depart from Tempe and Engadine before travelling through the Royal National Park and finishing at Thomas Dalton Park in Fairy Meadow. The 80km ride starts from Tempe Recreational Park at 6am, and the 53km ride will start from Preston Park, Engadine at 8am.
Road closures and special event clearways will be in place at the start and finish areas and along sections of the course between 4am and 10am in Sydney and 4am and 4.30pm from the Royal National Park to Fairy Meadow. Lane closures will also be in place on the Princes Highway between Sutherland and Waterfall from 5am to 10am, with southbound delays expected. A reduced speed limit of 60km/h will apply in some sections.
Transport for NSW Coordinator General Howard Collins said riders, volunteers and motorists should plan ahead and allow extra travel time but most importantly have fun.
“Always an exciting time of year when we have active transport events like this that get local communities involved,” Mr Collins said.
“Whether you are taking part in the ride, supporting a rider or travelling through the area, it’s always important to check the latest information before you leave and allow extra time.
“Riders should follow the directions of event marshals and wear appropriate safety equipment, while motorists must obey reduced speed limits and take extra care around cyclists sharing the road.
“Motorists are also reminded that vehicles left in special event clearways will be towed, so check signs carefully and move your vehicle before the clearways come into effect from 4am.”
With trackwork affecting trains, riders are encouraged to make use of Sydney Metro where possible. From Friday 30 October, passengers can travel on the new South West Metro to Bankstown. T6 train services will continue to operate between Lidcombe and Bankstown, connecting passengers with Metro services at Bankstown.
Additional early morning trains will run on the South Coast Line towards Sydney to help participants get to the start lines. The closest stations to the 80km start line are Tempe, Wolli Creek and Sydenham. The closest station to the 53km start line is Engadine. There will be 17 special event trains will operate from Fairy Meadow towards Sydney after the ride to help participants travel home with their bikes.
Due to major weekend trackwork taking place across the rail network, riders need to plan their trips:
- Buses replace trains between Central and Strathfield or Olympic Park until 10am on Sunday. Riders travelling from the west can catch trains to Glenfield to connect with T8 Airport & South Line trains to Wolli Creek or Sydenham, or change for T4 line trains to Tempe and Engadine.
- Riders travelling from areas around the T9 Northern Line should consider making their way to Epping and using M1 Metro services towards Sydenham, avoiding the replacement bus section where possible.
- Riders travelling on the T1 North Shore Line from north of Hornsby are advised buses replace trains between Berowra and Hornsby. T1 North Shore Line trains continue to operate between Hornsby and the City.
- Central Coast & Newcastle Line riders should plan carefully, with buses replacing trains between Newcastle Interchange and Hornsby.
Plan your trip as bikes cannot be taken on board buses including rail replacement buses. Allow extra travel time, check the Trip Planner before leaving, and follow the directions of transport staff.
Due to road closures, some buses will miss stops or divert from their regular routes and use different stops. Riders are advised to use trains to and from Fairy Meadow.
For detailed public transport information, including service changes and trip planning, visit transportnsw.info/ms-gong-ride or use the Opal Travel app or other transport apps.
Visit Live Traffic for updates including road closures and special event clearways.
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Source: Sydney Trains
