Parramatta Light Rail launch hit by delay: Latest mega-project to be pushed back

Following off a two-week delay to the Sydney Metro City line, the new light rail in Sydney’s west will also be pushed back.

The launch of the blighted Parramatta Light Rail will be delayed until the end of 2024, in the latest embarrassing blow to strike the Minns Government’s rollout of major projects.

The $2.875 billion mega-project – originally meant to begin services in late 2023 – has been pushed back after testing revealed major issues including power supply problems to trams, software glitches with Opal card payments, and blowouts in times spent stopped at stations.

The announcement follows the NSW Government missing its much-heralded targeted opening of the new Metro City line, which finally launched Monday – two weeks after its original ribbon-cutting date slated for August 4 after the final stages of the project were blighted by industrial action from the firefighters’ union.

Transport NSW secretary Josh Murray and NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen during a test ride on the new Parramatta Light rail, at Dundas, in April. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The Minns Government had targeted a “mid year” opening for the light rail.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said testing on the Parramatta Light Rail was “ironing out the kinks in the system and we want to get this service right before we open it”.

“The testing process has identified some issues for the contractor and Transport for NSW to fix which is the whole point of the process,” she said.

“One of the lessons we have learnt from the launch of the CBD and Eastern Suburbs Light Rail is that we do not want to be using passengers as guinea pigs. When we open we want to deliver a service which runs to timetable and is reliable.”

The Parramatta rail had been slated for a “mid year” opening. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“We have made substantial progress doing testing and commissioning of this light rail line but there is a bit more work to do.”

Internal Transport NSW documents seen by The Daily Telegraph – with indicative opening dates for other major projects – show August 18 was a suggested opening date for the light rail.

It also shows other key dates – which are understood not to be endorsed by the government – which could be missed, including the introduction of the New Intercity Fleet.

The fleet, which recently hit a five-year milestone of delays following years of union pushback on the new trains, is slated to enter service on September 16 in the documents.

Trams for the Parramatta Light Rail were built by Spanish firm CAF, who also supplied trams for the Inner West Light Rail.

Once opened, the Parramatta rail will be able to carry 300 passengers in a single vehicle in a line running from Westmead to Carlingford via 16 new stops.

It’s the latest setback for the Parramatta Light Rail, which has also blown out by more than $470 million in cost.

Then-transport Minister David Elliott announced in 2022 the opening of the project would be pushed back to May 2024, six months beyond an original launch target of late 2023, with that date revised to a “mid year” 2024 opening by the Minns Government.

Originally published as Parramatta Light Rail launch hit by delay: Latest mega-project to be pushed back