Sydney Metro West line won’t be operational until the late 2020s
THE NSW Government has announced Sydney’s west is set to be connected direct to the heart of Sydney via a 25km underground train tunnel. The promise has some dubious over the cost and time it’ll take to build.
Parramatta
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SYDNEY’s west is set to be connected direct to the heart of Sydney via a 25km underground tunnel.
The Sydney Metro West includes an underground station at Westmead and connects via a tunnel to Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, The Bays Precinct and Sydney CBD and will be a 20 minute commute from woe to go.
But people are left asking when it will open and how much it will cost.
Transport for NSW has said the project will be operational in the second half of the 2020s.
“The project is currently in the community and industry consultation phase,” the spokesman said.
“A budget range will be set as part of the development of the business case, which is currently underway.”
The promise was made a year out from the state election by Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian last Friday, alongside Transport Minister Andrew Constance.
“We have been working hand-in-hand with the community on Sydney Metro West and we have taken on board feedback to make it an even greater infrastructure project,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Labor announced the rail project back in 2008 and scrapped it two years later after having spent $100 million on early investigations.
If it had continued, it would be opening in 2024.
Despite its gloomy and short-lived past, the project allows for a potential future east-west connection to future western Sydney airport in Badgerys Creek.
Mr Constance said there was the ability to extend beyond Westmead as part of a potential east-west connection to the western Sydney airport and the south east via Zetland.
“There is a balance between the number of stops and the travel time from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD,” he said.
The connection to Sydney’s southwest was reinforced by Westmead Redevelopment executive director Leena Singh who said work on the hospital and health precinct’s masterplan was underway.
It looks at unlocking opportunities and expanding education at the precinct.
That’s happening over the coming months and will include community involvement. It also explores existing and potential future transport.
“The Westmead health and education precinct is undergoing a major transformation to drive jobs over the next 10 or so years,” she said.
There is an increase of 50,000 jobs in knowledge, innovation and healthcare sectors and ancillary jobs over the next 30 years at Westmead.
“There are exciting things to come from that (master plan) ... it will open up new opportunities with connections to the new airport too,” she said.
The metro line will link to an existing suburban station on the T1 Northern Line — either Concord West or North Strathfield and will double the capacity of the currently overcrowded T1 Western Line.
The Sydney Metro is the biggest urban rail project in Australian history and will travel straight to the state’s biggest health infrastructure project.
Camellia/Rydalmere, North Burwood/Five Dock, Kings Bay and Pyrmont are being considered as options for other metro stations.
WHAT THE LEADERS SAID
Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue’s chairman Christopher Brown said there were still questions that needed to be answered.
“How is it going to be funded and how long will we have to wait until it arrives,” he said. “The development of areas in Sydney Olympic Park and Parramatta is showing no signs of slowing and, with the western Sydney airport due to come online in 2026, we need to set a tighter deadline date.”
Parramatta State Liberal MP Geoff Lee said the 25km tunnel makes it the longest of its type in the world.
“This will be a high frequency service so that no timetable is required,” he said.
Parramatta Council Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson said the metro line was essential infrastructure helping keep pace with the expanding population and increasing commercial development and investment in Sydney’s west.
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce president David Hill said heavy rail underground was the only practical solution.
“We need to be getting it underway now. Why not also run these new heavy rail connections that are planned for Parramatta to Bankstown, Baulkham Hills and Epping,” he said.
Urban Taskforce chief executive Chris Johnson said the Greater Sydney Commission’s policies on protecting industrial land along Parramatta Rd, which runs parallel to the metro line, could result in residential development instead.
“The plan, however, then goes on to say that local councils will need to review this as they produce their own local environmental plans,” he said.
Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils president Stephen Bali said the project was critically important in freeing up capacity on the Western Line.
“In addition to improved services for Blacktown, Penrith and the Blue Mountains, we would also like to see greater focus on the Richmond branch of the Western Line which services the rapidly expanding north west growth area,” he said.
THE METRO WEST ANNOUNCEMENT
GET INFORMED
● A community information session is on Thursday, April 5 from 4pm to 8pm at the Skye Hotel, 30 Hunter St, Parramatta.
● Another is held at the same location on Saturday, April 7 from 10am to 2pm.
● A third session will be held at the Parramatta Farmers Market on Friday, April 20 from 8.30am to 2.30pm.
● For more details visit: sydneymetro.info
KEY PRECINCTS
● Jobs are expected to double over the next 20 years in Parramatta to 100,000.
● 34,000 jobs in Sydney Olympic Park by 2030 and more than 23,000 residents.
● The Bays Precinct is 95 ha of land being regenerated.
● 25km tunnel connecting Westmead to the Sydney CBD.