nnouncing the takeover of Metro Transport Sydney, the owner of the monorail and light rail lines, the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, and the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, showed little sentiment yesterday. "The real problem with the monorail, I think for most Sydneysiders, is that it doesn't actually go anywhere that you want to go," Mr O'Farrell said. The government offered another two explanations for the $19.8 million decision to buy out MTS and close the monorail, which began operations in 1988. As reported by the Herald in January, the monorail was a potential impediment to the redevelopment of the area around the convention centre and entertainment centre. Mr O'Farrell wants that area redeveloped by 2016, and property companies bidding for the work are now free to remove the monorail from their designs. Another reason to buy MTS was to make it easier to add to Sydney's one tram line, from Central to Lilyfield. Under the terms of the MTS 1994 contract, the company was handed the rights to plan and build any additions to the line. The contract also prevented the government building any new tram lines that intersected with MTS.