SYDNEY Business Chamber has withdrawn its support for a radical plan to introduce a fast cable car from Pyrmont to Barangaroo.

In 2014, as part of a forum hosted by the Sydney Business Chamber, a proposal was floated for a fast cable system — connecting Barangaroo via Pyrmont.

Proposed by Sydney event specialist Peter Hiland, the transport system was floated especially as a way to link up the then disconnected growth precincts.

The concept was originally flagged at a business seminar by Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe, who said Sydney needed to think outside the square to address transport issues.

media_camera A proposed cable car route.

“Pyrmont Bridge is basically at capacity because we have so many more cyclists, we do need to look at some other options,” Ms Forsythe said at the time.

A second proposal for a 3.4km cable system was floated a year later by Harbour Skylink — which would have seen the system start at Rozelle Bay, with stations at the White Bay Power Station, White Bay Cruise Terminal, Pyrmont and Barangaroo.

Along with preliminary support from UrbanGrowth NSW, this proposal was supported by the Committee for Sydney, cruise line Carnival Australia and Pyrmont’s The Star casino owner Echo Entertainment.

media_camera Support for a “left field” cable car has been canned.

Three years on and Ms Forsthye said the introduction of ferries as a significant player in Sydney’s transport ecosystem had “changed the focus”.

The streets of Barangaroo

The Streets of Barangaroo The Streets of Barangaroo

While Barangaroo had previously been somewhat isolated, sparking the cable car proposal, the opening of a ferry terminal had “really changed the dynamics”.

“When the idea for the cable car popped up we were saw some areas as being more isolated ...(but not there is) just a much stronger focus on ferries and we’ve even seen more of the tourism operators like Captain Cook cruises and boats taking people around the harbour,” Ms Forsythe said.

Looking at the proposal now, the number of people that could be moved and the cost of the infrastructure means ferries are the “key to long term future linking,” she said.