Skip to main content

Industry News

sb head

14 Feb 2023

Construction on Four New Metro Lines Could Begin This Year

Construction on Four New Metro Lines Could Begin This Year

In order to facilitate transit within the area and to the planned Western Sydney Airport, the construction of four new metro lines could be begun in Sydney's west as early as this year.

The completed business cases for the four new lines, totalling 100 kilometres of track, will cost the Coalition $260 million.

As well as two routes to Western Sydney Airport, which is expected to open in 2026, from Westmead and Macarthur, the lines would connect Tallawong (the north-west metro's terminal) to St. Marys, Bankstown to Glenfield via Liverpool, and those three locations.

While the line between St. Marys and the airport is already under construction, a business case is now being developed for a metro line that would run from Glenfield to the airport. If the four new lines are approved, construction would start this year.

Premier Dominic Perrottet referred to the Sydney Metro as Australia's largest public transportation project and claimed the new lines would fill in any gaps in the system, making it easier to travel by public transportation between certain areas of western Sydney, which is currently almost impossible.

“We are future-proofing the transport needs of our city to ensure people can travel quickly and safely while also supporting thousands of jobs, additional housing and access to services across region,” he said.

A funding dispute between Perrottet and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese developed when the state leader demanded that the federal government foot the bill for 80% of the $1.6 billion project, raising concerns that the airport was in serious danger of opening without essential public transport connections due to a lack of progress on promises for rapid bus links.

The Western Sydney Cities Deal, which was agreed by the state government and the then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2018, included the promised bus links, which have not yet been implemented.

Campbelltown Mayor George Greiss criticised the lack of public transportation between areas of western Sydney and the new airport earlier this month. More than 3000 employees are working on building the new airport.

If they win the state election in March, both the Coalition and Labor have committed to spending a lot of money on infrastructure in western Sydney. The opposition has pledged 600 new hospital beds and the construction of the long-awaited Rouse Hill Hospital, while the coalition has announced upgrades to facilities through its $3.45 billion WestInvest fund.

On Thursday morning, during a leaders discussion on radio station 2GB, Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns traded sharp remarks regarding the privately run Sydney Metro project as finance for the state's big infrastructure projects emerged as a crucial election battlefield.

The new metro lines that are being considered will be incorporated into the larger Sydney Metro network, which began in 2019 with the north-west route from Chatswood to Tallawong.

The following year, Sydenham will get one, and within a year, Bankstown would get one as well.

The state government has also committed to completing by 2030 the Sydney Metro West Project, which would link Westmead and Parramatta with the CBD through Canada Bay and Sydney Olympic Park.


Attend Sydney Build Expo, the largest construction, architecture and infrastructure show in Australia. Gain access to 9 conference stages and networking sessions, check out 400+ exhibitors, learn from 450+ high-profile speakers and connect with 20,000+ built environment professionals.

Loading

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER & FURTHER UPDATES ABOUT THE SHOW