Sydney Metro to examine two new stations for Metro West

The Minns government wants to add two new stations to Metro West and delay the line for two years to make the project viable.

Two new Metro stations are set to be added to a Metro line linking Parramatta and the CBD, under plans for an “enhanced” Metro West that will be delayed by two years.

Ending months of uncertainty, the Minns government has finally confirmed that the $25 billion rail link will go ahead – with a number of major changes.

Sydney Metro has been told to explore adding two stations to the proposed route, between Olympic Park and Parramatta.

Adding the extra stops will make the massive project more viable, because it will allow for more land to be rezoned for higher density housing. The final locations for the new stations will be determined by the areas that can provide the most new houses.

One of the stations under consideration is at Rosehill, where as many as 25,000 homes are set to be build under a radical proposal from the Australian Turf Club.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen pictured with Peter Regan, chief executive Sydney Metro. The government has finally confirmed Metro West will go ahead. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The Metro project had been the subject of an independent review, which reported back to the government in October.

The review, recommended that the government should – at a “minimum” – commit to the existing Metro West plan, which would deliver nine stations between Hunter St and Westmead.

Reviewers Amanda Yeates and Mike Mrdak recommended the government target an opening date of 2032 – two years later than planned under the Coalition.

Premier Chris Minns says the new plan is an “enhanced” metro line. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Delaying the opening date will “reset” the project to a “more sustainable time frame,” the government said.

Sydney Metro has also been told to explore adding new rapid bus routes around the nine planned Metro West stations to maximise the ability for commuters to use the new rail link.

While the government will explore adding two extra stations to the metro line in Western Sydney, calls to extend Metro West east past Moore Park have fallen on deaf ears.

The project will terminate at Hunter St, as planned under the Coalition.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen pushed the project to an independent review. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“We’re resetting Metro West to ensure it will be the city-shaping project it always should have been,” Premier Chris Minns said.

“This project won’t just change the way people move around our city; it will now also provide the well-located homes for future generations to live in.”

Mr Minns cast doubt on the project after the election citing cost blowouts.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the government will deliver an “improved version” of the project started under the Coalition.

The Daily Telegraph revealed last week that $11 billion has already been committed to the project and more than $7 billion has already been spent.

Pre-empting the announcement, Business Western Sydney Executive Director David Borger said adding new stations was a good idea.

“More metro stations between Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park finally puts the “west” in Sydney Metro West and fixes the huge 7km station gap in the route,” he said.

However he said the two year delay was “regrettable”.

Originally published as Sydney Metro to examine two new stations for Metro West