SYDNEY’S light rail is running hopelessly late before the $2.1 billion project is even finished.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the original completion date for the network was April this year.
But to reach that goal, workers would need to lay about 260 metres of track a day — 10 TIMES the current average in the past year.
With construction causing traffic chaos in the CBD and inner city streets where track is being laid, just 14 kilometres of the 24.7-kilometre network has been laid, with some construction zones running more than a year past their original deadline.
There is significant traffic disruptions on George St, including a major detour on Kent St.
Transport for NSW admits construction challenges have caused delays but insists the project is on track for delivery in 2019.
The original schedule obtained by The Daily Telegraph states all major construction would be completed by April this year.
The delays come after revelations taxpayers are forking out thousands for two NSW bureaucrats to enjoy bimonthly European jaunts to meet contractors constructing the light rail system.
The trips come at a cost of $200,000 and include business class flights, first-class train tickets and even luxury Paris sojourns.
Transport NSW insists the project is on track for services to start running next year. But since construction started in 2015, just 14km of the 24.7km of track has been installed.
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And just seven out of the 31 construction zones in Surry Hills, the CBD and the South East have completed track.
The original schedule documents state if the Spanish consortium ALTRAC would face “significant penalties” if it spent longer than the allocated time in any zone.
Both Transport Minister Andrew Constance and Transport NSW did not answer questions from the Telegraph about whether they would seek to fine ALTRAC.
The cost of the project has already blown out from $1.6 billion to $2.1 billion and last year it was reported ALTRAC was seeking $340 million more.
There has also been criticism that because they have been built to different standards, trams will not be able to connect from the existing Inner West Light Rail to the new track.
A Transport for NSW said there had been significant challenges during construction but maintained the project was on track for delivery in 2019.
“Some utility services extend through multiple construction zones and staging of the work program had to accommodate the complexities of this work,” a spokesman said.
“Despite the challenges created by utilities we are now ‘out of the ground’ in many areas, laying tracks and paving and starting to construct light rail stops. Once the difficult underground utilities work is completed, track laying and finishing works can progress relatively quickly.”
Transport for NSW maintains the major construction in the Surry Hills area is on track to be finished this year.
“Work after this date will generally be limited to systems work, including stringing overhead cables and installing equipment on platforms,” the spokesman said.
“At the conclusion of this we will continue with testing and commissioning activities for the vehicles and various control systems.”
“We’ve completed substation energisation and installation of the first overhead wires on the project, in Randwick Stabling Yard. We have energised the yard and will commence light rail vehicle testing very soon in what is another step forwards towards the start of light rail services.”
An ALTRAC spokesman said: “Track was completed by December 2017 in CBD zones 2, 5 and 6, zone 15 in Surry Hills, zones 23 and 24 in Randwick and 29 in Kensington/Kingsford.
“The zones with completed track in Randwick are where tram testing will begin in coming weeks. To date about 14kms of track has been laid.
“There are three stages of work for the CBD and South East Light Rail: civil construction, light rail systems installation, and testing and commissioning.
“Construction is underway at Alison Road and Wansey Road stops. Construction of the QVB stop will commence after the Market Street intersection has been completed around the end of March.
“In the CBD, the third rail (wire free technology) has started being installed. Wires have been installed in the Randwick Stabling Yard and along the alignment to Lang Road.
“As construction progresses, we continue to update our methodology. Where possible major civil construction is progressively being completed with the systems work, installation of signals and station equipment and wiring the catenaries.”
The original light rail plan shows almost all the zones were meant to be completed by the end of 2017. In some cases construction work on George St that was meant to be completed in 2016 but was now more than 426 days late.
While sections of the street between King and Park St were reopened in December, the road is still closed to public traffic between Hunter St and Bathurst St.
In total there are still 22 different traffic restrictions on George St.
It comes as a new City of Sydney report reveals the council is forecasting a $500,000 budget hit on lost rent from Circular Quay commercial properties because of the light rail construction. The documents state “significant construction” in the area has made it difficult to secure tenants.
On Anzac Parade in Kingsford work was originally meant to finish in September 2016 for the site between Todman Avenue and High St. But construction is still ongoing with smart poles being installed up until May 1, 2018. The same applies for the section between High St and Rainbow St on Anzac Parade where work was meant to finish on 10 March last year.
The slow down in work has largely been blamed on the discovery of 1500 “unknown utilities” including pipes that had not been discovered during subterranean mapping exercises. There was also the discovery of about 20,000 Aboriginal artefacts on the line in Randwick which slowed work in March 2016.
In September 2017, they also unearthed a number of buildings Under Alfred St Circular Quay. It is believed the buildings were commercial stores from the mid 1800s including a Working Men’s Coffee House and a Chinese Merchant.
City of Sydney councillor and local business owner Angela Vithoulkas claimed the project had been “terribly managed”.
“They are still further and further behind their schedule,” Ms Vithoulkas said.
“My cafe is on George St and we were told they would probably be finished by March, but I haven’t seen anyone in our zone since March.”
Ms Vithoulkas said there a number of issues with the rental assistance scheme.
“People have been locked out of their businesses because they have not been able to afford rent,” she said.
“Then they are told they can no longer apply for financial help as they no longer are in their building.”
“It’s been diabolic for so many people.”
Labor deputy leader Michael Daley said the project had been a “big schmozzle” and he didn’t see how it could possibly open on time.
“They need to be more transparent,” he said.
“It’s all been one big secret.”
A spokeswoman for Mr Constance said it would be a “transformative” project for Sydney.
“This will be a transformative project for Sydney. As with all major infrastructure projects there are challenges we have to overcome along the way,” she said.
“We look forward to testing starting in coming weeks.”
THE LIGHT RAIL IS A WORK IN (LATE) PROGRESS
► Zone 1: Circular Quay, west of George Street
Original schedule: Work to start 9 January 2017 and complete 9 October 2017.
Current schedule: Work still ongoing with track yet to be completed. 396 days late
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► Zone 2: George Street, from Grosvenor Street to Alfred Street
Original schedule: Work to start February 16, 2016 and complete November 27, 2016
Current schedule: Work still ongoing with traffic blocked from turning right into George St from Grosvenor St. 449 days late
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► Zone 3: George St, between Bridge St and Margaret St
Original schedule: Work to start April 12, 2016 and complete December 21, 2016
Current schedule: Work still ongoing with road blocks on Jamison St and Bond St. 426 days late
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► Zone 4: George St, between Hunter St and King St
Original schedule: Work to commence April 1, 2016 and complete April 14, 2017
Current schedule: Work still ongoing. Business owners told to expect March completion, but City of Sydney councillor and owner of VIVO cafe Angela Vithoulkas said she had seen a worker “since November”. 311 days late
---//---
► Zone 5: George St, between King and Market St
Original schedule: Work to start October 23, 2015 and complete August 12, 2016
Current schedule: Section was completed and the street reopened December 10, 2017 when angry business owners confronted Transport Minister Andrew Constance at press conference. 485 days late.
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► Zone 6: George St, between Market St and Park St
Original schedule: Work to start December 3, 2015 and complete October 16, 2016.
Current schedule: Section was completed and the street reopened December 3, 2017. 413 days late
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► Zone 7: George Street, between Park Street and Bathurst Street
Original schedule: Work to start February 1, 2016 and complete October 31, 2016
Current schedule: Work still ongoing, with section of George St closed to the public. 476 days late.
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► Zone 7: George Street, between Park Street and Bathurst Street
Original schedule: Work to start 1 February 2016 and complete 31 October 2016
Current schedule: Work still ongoing with track not yet completed, with section of George St closed to the public. 476 days late.
---//---
► Zone 8: George Street, between Bathurst Street and Liverpool Street
Original schedule: Work to start 10 June 2016 and complete 22 February 2017.
Current schedule: Track work not yet complete. 363 days late.
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► Zone 9: George Street, between Liverpool Street and Goulburn Street
Original schedule: Work to start 18 August 2016 and complete 21 February 2017.
Current schedule: Track not yet complete. 364 days late.
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► Zone 10: George Street, between Goulburn Street and Hay Street
Original schedule: Work to start 17 October 2016 and finish 14 July 2017
Current schedule: Track installation not yet complete. 221 days late.
---//---
► Zone 11: George Street, between Hay Street and Rawson Place
Original schedule: Work to start 13 January 2017 and complete 11 August 2017.
Current schedule: Track installation not yet complete. 193 days late.
---//---
► Zone 12: Rawson Place, between George Street and Pitt Street
Original schedule: Work to start 29 March 2017 and complete 21 September 2017.
Current schedule: Track installation not yet complete. 152 days late.
---//---
► Zone 13: Eddy Avenue, between Pitt Street and Elizabeth Street
Original schedule: Work to start 1 May 2017 and complete 4 November 2017.
Current schedule: Track installation not yet complete. 108 days late.
---//---
► Zone 14: Chalmers Street, between Eddy Avenue and Devonshire Street
Original schedule: Work to start 7 September 2017 and complete 30 April 2018.
Current schedule: Track installation started in November, work still ongoing.
---//---
► Zone 15: Devonshire Street, between Chalmers Street and Elizabeth Street.
Original schedule: Work to start 4 August 2016 and complete 9 February 2017.
Current schedule: Track installation completed in December 2017 when barriers were removed 295 days late.
---//---
► Zone 16: Devonshire Street, between Elizabeth Street and Waterloo Street
Original schedule: Work to start 21 September 2016 and complete 21 June 2017.
Current schedule: Track installation not yet complete. 214 days late.
---//---
► Zone 17: Devonshire Street, between Waterloo Street and Crown Street
Original schedule: Work to commence November 24, 2016 and end September 19, 2017.
Current schedule: Work is still ongoing with Devonshire Street closed to general traffic between Waterloo St and Riley S. 150 days late.
---//---
► Zone 21: Light Rail Corridor, between Anzac Parade and Lang Road
Original schedule: Work to start 4 November 2015 and complete 14 July 2017.
Current schedule: Track not yet completed. 231 days late.
---//---
► Zone 22: Anzac Parade, Alison Road to Lang Road
Original schedule: Work to start 19 July 2016 and complete 19 November 2016.
Current schedule: Track not yet finished installing. 458 days late.
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► Zone 23: Alison Road, between Anzac Parade and Doncaster Avenue
Original schedule: Construction to start 11 February 2016 and complete 17 November 2016.
Current schedule: Track completed by December 2017. Tram testing will start here in coming weeks.
---//---
► Zone 24: Alison Road, between Doncaster Avenue and Wansey Road
Original schedule: Construction to start 4 January 2016 and complete 11 December 2016.
Current schedule: Track completed by December 2017. Tram testing will start here in coming weeks.
---//---
► Zone 28: Anzac Parade, between Dacey Avenue and Todman Avenue
Original schedule: Work to commence December 1, 2016 and complete November 9, 2017.
Current schedule: Light rail stop construction still ongoing at Todman Avenue. Work to continue until at least 1 May. 103 days late.
---//---
► Zone 29: Anzac Parade, between Todman Avenue and High St
Original schedule: Work to commence February 19, 2016 and complete September 6, 2016.
Current schedule: construction work and smart pole installation still ongoing. Work to continue until at least 1 May. 360 days late.
---//---
► Zone 30: Anzac Parade, between High Street and Rainbow Street
Original schedule: Work to commence May 2, 2016 and complete March 10, 2017.
Current schedule: Pole installation still being carried out. Work to continue until at least 1 May 2018. 316 days late.
---//---
► Zone 31: Anzac Parade, between Rainbow Street and Sturt Street
Original schedule: Work to commence May 1, 2017 and complete December 19, 2017.
Current schedule: Installation of track work nearly complete, but substation work at Kingsford Terminus site work is still taking place. Work to continue until at least 1 May 2018. 63 days late.
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