In a submission to the review, the motoring lobby is calling on the government to provide free travel for anyone catching the City Circle line around the inner city.

"There are going to be substantial delays to buses and motorists caused by the work being done to George Street and surrounding areas due to the light rail project – it make sense to encourage people on to the trains," the NRMA director for the harbour region, Tim Trumper, said.

"This happens in other cities both in Australia and overseas – it should happen here now," Mr Trumper said, referring to Melbourne's free inner city tram zone.

New bus timetables and routes in inner Sydney will operate from October 4, when sections of George Street will close to traffic. Transport for NSW last week released the new timetables for commuters to plan ahead.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, meanwhile, was asked to examine new public transport fares that could encourage commuters to change between different modes of transport, such as from a bus to a train.