Upgraded Metro stations for Sydenham to Bankstown rail line

Sydney’s new metro railway will have a target capacity of about 40,000 customers per hour, similar to other metro systems worldwide. Sydney’s current system can reliably carry 24,000 people an hour.

UPGRADED Metro stations will be put in place on the existing Sydenham to Bankstown rail line from 2020 — four years before the line is converted to a metro line, the Premier and Transport Minister announced today.

Releasing the Environmental Impact Statement for the Sydney South West Metro, Gladys Berejiklian and Andrew Constance said the line would bring the number of passengers catching the line in the peak up from 9000 to around 17,000 per hour.

An animated visualisation shows how Sydney's western train lines will be updated from 2020.

The South West Metro project would cost $11.5-12 billion, Mr Constance said, with work to begin in 2018.

The government’s EIS overview says it will result in trains every four minutes.

The line will be shut for three to six months in 2023 in order for the line to be turned into Metro.

“Sydney’s new metro railway will have a target capacity of about 40,000 customers per hour, similar to other metro systems worldwide. Sydney’s current suburban system can reliably carry 24,000 people an hour per line,” the EIS overview says.

Gladys Berejiklian and Andrew Constance (red tie) made the announcement today.

On the new line, a trip from Wiley Park to Chatswood will be 22 minutes quicker while from Wiley Park to Central will be “up to six” minutes quicker.

People will have a chance to comment now on the EIS plans and suggest to government options for increased bus and train services while the shutdown of the line takes place.

“We’ve said this part of the train line, this metrofication will be open in 2024; if there’s opportunities to bring it forward we will do that,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

The EIS says there will also be school holiday periods between 2019 and 2024 where the line will be “possessed” to do works and replacement buses run, as with existing rail maintenance.

“A final three to six month possession for work that can only be done once Sydney Trains services stop using the T3 Bankstown Line,” the statement says.

“The metro line will open immediately following this.

“Individual station closures may be required to help accelerate the upgrade and deliver benefits sooner. This will be considered at stations with lower patronage. As part of the procurement process, tenderers will be asked to investigate ways to reduce the number of temporary closures.”

The EIS says that a train from Marrickville to Central will be four minutes quicker on the new line while one from Marrickville to Chatswood will be up to 20 minutes quicker. One from Marrickville to Macquarie Park will be 17 minutes quicker.

The South West Metro project will cost $11.5-12 billion

The government said the line upgrade would mean new public plazas at stations but heritage station buildings to be incorporated into modern designs.

Train services would be more than tripled at stations like Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury and Wiley Park.

“The Bankstown Line was built in the late 19th century for steam trains, now this growing area of Sydney will have a modern 21st century metro with fast, safe and reliable trains, with plenty of room to grow in the future,” Transport Minister Andrew Constance said.

“Customers will have a new fully air-conditioned metro train every four minutes in the peak, delivering a new quality of railway service never before seen in Australia.”

Talking about the stations being upgraded sooner, Ms Berejiklian said: “Work starts from next year to make big improvements to the stations, including making them fully accessible, with all stations to have level access between the platform and trains.

“Where a station upgrade like a new lift or new station entry can be opened early, we’ll deliver that as quickly as possible with these upgrades being opened progressively from 2020. You won’t need to wait until trains start running in 2024.”