News Service from House Harris

NSW: Record crowds expected for Sydney NYE but police out in force too

SYDNEY, Dec 30 AAP - Sydney is expected to be swamped by a record number of revellers this New Year's Eve but "drunken yobbos" beware, NSW police have warned they will also be out in force.

Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says thousands of plain-clothed and uniformed police would be on the beat in Sydney's CBD on Wednesday night.

"We are expecting much larger crowds ... we know that it will probably be in excess of one million people," Mr Scipione told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

"That presents us with special challenges but ... we've come to the point in this city where we are able to manage very big crowds and to do it very well.

"We'll be putting more than 2,000 police in the metropolitan area alone to deal with whatever comes up."

Mr Scipione said police would be targeting anti-social behaviour, over-crowding and liquor licensing breaches.

"New Year's Eve is for everybody (and) our role in policing an event like this is to ensure that it is not hijacked by the drunken yobbos," he said.

"The alcohol that drives the anti-social behaviour is really important to us and it's one of the keys to making this a successful night."

To prevent a repeat of the increased number of assaults in Sydney last New Year's Eve, police would be enforcing extended alcohol-free zones in the city.

>From Campbell Street in the south to Alfred Street in the north, George Street will be alcohol-free from Tuesday until January 2.

Road closures and clearways will also be in place around the harbour foreshore on Wednesday, with lanes on the Sydney Harbour Bridge being closed for two hours from 11pm (AEDT).

Roads Minister Michael Daley urged party-goers to leave their cars at home and catch public transport instead.

Additional bus and train services will also be running through the night to get people home.

"The simple messages are: plan ahead, leave your car at home and for God's sake, if you're going to have a drink, make sure you don't drive," he said.

Acting Premier Carmel Tebbutt said with a few simple steps, like knowing their limit and using common sense, everyone could have a great New Year's Eve.

"New Year's Eve is a fantastic time in Sydney, we have the wonderful fireworks, we showcase our city to the world," Ms Tebbutt said.

"But just use common sense (and) a bit of planning to make sure that not just you but everyone can enjoy New Year's Eve."