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Sydney Metro West

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Sydney Metro West is a proposed metro line in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, running between the central business district and Westmead. Planning for the line is at an early stage. The line is expected to open in the second half of the 2020s.[1] Construction is expected to begin by 2021 or 2022.[2][3] The project will take about eight years to complete and has reportedly been estimated to cost $18 billion.[4] It will form part of the Sydney Metro system.

History

Earlier proposal

In early 2008, following the shelving of various heavy rail expansion projects from the 2005 Metropolitan Rail Expansion Program, the New South Wales Labor Government officially announced the 37km North West Metro.[5] This line would have linked Rouse Hill in Sydney's north-west with the CBD, with the line expected to open in 2017.[6] Funding for the North West Metro was dependent on the privatisation of the electricity network,[7] and after a change of the state's premier in late 2008 and abandonment of the electricity privatisation the project was cancelled.

Its replacement was the 9km, CBD Metro, a dramatically shortened route running from Rozelle in the inner-west and into the CBD through to Central station.[8] This line was scheduled to open in 2015. The CBD Metro was to have formed the "central spine" of a future metro network, but instead of continuing the line to the north west, plans shifted towards a western extension to Westmead. This West Metro was to have been constructed soon after, subject to federal funding.[9] The New South Wales Government's initial submission to the Australian Government body Infrastructure Australia for funding was rejected due to "a lack of integrated planning".[10]

Facing increased costs[11] and concerns about patronage[12], and following another change of premier, the CBD Metro was cancelled in early 2010 and all other metro projects were abandoned as the government chose to instead focus on expansion of the existing heavy rail network.[13][14][15] The Labor government was defeated in 2011 and the new Coalition government became interested in developing metro projects, changing its plans for the North West Rail Link (an alternative to the North West Metro that used a more northerly alignment via a link to an existing line) from a conventional railway to a metro.

Conception

The current project was first mentioned in a discussion paper released in September 2016 that investigated new rail projects to service Western Sydney and the proposed Western Sydney Airport. Media reports indicated the project had found favour with Transport for NSW and the New South Wales Government.[16][17] It was announced as an official project on 14 November 2016.[18] It is largely a return to the Labor government's West Metro proposal.

Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, the Bays Precinct and the Sydney CBD were announced as initial station locations, with up to 12 stations being considered.[19] The government will use a value capture scheme to help pay for the project. The contributions from value capture are expected to amount to between 10 and 15 percent of the capital cost.[20]

The metro project serves a similar area to the previously announced Parramatta Light Rail. On 17 February 2017 it was announced that "stage 1" of the light rail project would run between Westmead and Carlingford, and that a "stage 2" branch to Strathfield via Sydney Olympic Park had been deferred.[17][21] A redesigned and truncated stage 2 route to Sydney Olympic Park via the suburbs to the north of the Parramatta River was announced in October 2017.[22]

In March 2018, the government announced the general locations of a further two stations. One would be built at Westmead and the other would provide an interchange at either Concord West or North Strathfield suburban railway stations.[23][3] It was also announced that an interchange at the western end of the line would be provided, connecting with the existing suburban railway stations at either Westmead or Parramatta.[24]

Other options for new metro stations included Camellia/Rydalmere, North Burwood/Five Dock, Kings Bay (Five Dock) and Pyrmont.[23] Media reports indicate that Martin Place will be the main CBD interchange.[25] By early 2019, the government had settled on providing the line with around nine stations and transport planners had commenced work on a potential south eastern extension.[2][26]

By the run-up to the 2019 New South Wales state election the project had bipartisan support. The opposition Labor party claimed it would complete the project faster than the government. However, the government announced extra funding for the project and said it would commence construction in 2020.[4]

Potential extension

During the 2019 New South Wales election campaign, the government announced it would commence planning of a southwest extension to the line from Westmead to Western Sydney Airport.[27] This project had first been mooted in the report into Western Sydney rail projects, where it was dubbed the "East-West Link".

References

  1. "A new railway for Western Sydney". Transport for NSW. November 2016. http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/b2b/projects/sydney-metro-west-project-overview-nov-2016.pdf. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 O'Sullivan, Matt (29 January 2019). "Transport Minister hints at nine new stations for $18b Metro West line". The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/transport-minister-hints-at-nine-new-stations-for-18b-metro-west-line-20190124-p50te6.html. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 O'Sullivan, Matt (23 March 2018). "The Sydney suburbs on list of station sites for new metro line". The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-sydney-suburbs-on-list-of-station-sites-for-new-metro-line-20180323-p4z5vw.html. Retrieved 23 March 2018. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Gladys ramps up Metro West spend to $6.4m - 9News". www.9news.com.au. AAP. 3 March 2019. https://www.9news.com.au/2019/03/03/12/55/nsw-govt-ramps-up-metro-spend. 
  5. Besser, Linton (26 February 2008). "Bye heavy rail, now for a north-west metro". Fairfax Media. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bye-heavy-rail-now-for-a-northwest-metro/2008/02/25/1203788248514.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1. Retrieved 14 June 2015. 
  6. "Premier Iemma unveils Sydney’s first Euro-style metro rail project". NSW Government. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080720202842/http://www.nsw.gov.au/docs/080318_Transport_SydneyLink.pdf. Retrieved 14 June 2015. 
  7. Gittins, Ross (17 March 2008). "Iemma's reasons for privatising electricity". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au/business/iemmas-reasons-for-privatising-electricity-20080316-1zsa.html. Retrieved 14 June 2015. 
  8. Benson, Simon (31 October 2008). "Northwest Metro rail link officially shelved". The Daily Telegraph (News Corp). http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/northwest-metro-rail-disaster/story-e6freuzi-1111117906366. Retrieved 14 June 2015. 
  9. "Metro: The future of Sydney's transport". NSW Government. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090704030225/http://www.sydneymetro.nsw.gov.au/news/latest_news/west_metro/files/338/Metro_Thefutureoftransport.pdf. 
  10. Smith, Alexandra (6 February 2009). "'Inadequate' submission puts NSW down the list". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/inadequate-submission-puts-nsw-down-the-list/2009/02/05/1233423405333.html. 
  11. Ralston, Nick (24 October 2008). "Rees reveals new Sydney Metro plan". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au//national/rees-reveals-new-sydney-metro-plan-20081024-57x2.html. Retrieved 14 June 2015. 
  12. Besser, Linton (4 May 2009). "CBD Metro will run almost empty". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au/national/cbd-metro-will-run-almost-empty-20090503-argd.html. 
  13. "Keneally rolls Rees and takes top job". AAP. ABC News. 4 December 2009. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-12-03/keneally-rolls-rees-and-takes-top-job/1168764. 
  14. "Keneally scraps CBD Metro plans". ABC/AAP. ABC News. 22 February 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-21/keneally-scraps-cbd-metro-plans/338076. 
  15. Newman, Peter (23 February 2010). "An end to Sydney's transport lost years?". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/an-end-to-sydneys-transport-lost-years-20100222-ornm.html. 
  16. Saulwick, Jacob (1 September 2016). "Revealed: new metro between Sydney CBD and Parramatta". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/revealed-new-metro-between-sydney-cbd-and-parramatta-20160831-gr5d6m.html. 
  17. 17.0 17.1 O'Sullivan, Matt (2 October 2016). "Change of course looms for multibillion-dollar Parramatta light rail". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/change-of-course-looms-for-multibilliondollar-parramatta-light-rail-20160929-grrg7s.html. 
  18. "Sydney Metro West: a new railway, more trains for Western Sydney". Transport for NSW. 14 November 2016. http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/sydney-metro-west-new-railway-more-trains-western-sydney. 
  19. O'Sullivan, Matt (31 May 2017). "Sydney's new metro line to Parramatta kicks off clamour for stations". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydneys-new-metro-line-to-parramatta-kicks-off-clamour-for-stations-20170531-gwh3se.html. Retrieved 1 June 2017. 
  20. O'Sullivan, Matt (27 June 2017). "Cost of new metro line from Sydney CBD to Parramatta set to top $12.5 billion". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/cost-of-new-metro-line-from-sydney-cbd-to-parramatta-set-to-top-125-billion-20170627-gwzd5d.html. Retrieved 29 June 2017. 
  21. Gerathy, Sarah (17 February 2017). "Parramatta Light Rail: NSW Government accused of trying to ditch Sydney Olympic Park". ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-17/parramatta-light-rail-govt-backtrack-on-sydney-olympic-park/8279668. Retrieved 22 February 2017. 
  22. "Parramatta Light Rail to Sydney Olympic Park". Transport for NSW. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/newsroom-and-events/media-releases/parramatta-light-rail-to-sydney-olympic-park. Retrieved 18 October 2017. 
  23. 23.0 23.1 "Further Sydney Metro West stations revealed". Transport for NSW. 23 March 2018. https://www.sydneymetro.info/article/further-sydney-metro-west-stations-revealed. Retrieved 23 March 2018. 
  24. "Sydney Metro West Project Overview". Transport for NSW. https://www.sydneymetro.info/west/project-overview. Retrieved 23 March 2018. 
  25. Saulwick, Jacob (8 July 2018). "New CBD rail station to link Wynyard and Martin Place". The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-cbd-rail-station-to-link-wynyard-and-martin-place-20180708-p4zq8g.html. 
  26. O'Sullivan, Matt (4 February 2019). "New metro rail line to Sydney's south-east in the pipeline". The Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/new-metro-rail-line-to-sydney-s-south-east-in-the-pipeline-20181218-p50myx.html. 
  27. "Expanding metro network to connect Sydney like never before". 14 March 2019. https://nsw.liberal.org.au/candidates/gladys-berejiklian/news/articles/EXPANDING-METRO-NETWORK-TO-CONNECT-SYDNEY. 


Attribution

This article incorporates text from the following revision of the English Wikipedia article "Sydney Metro": https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sydney_Metro&oldid=881055615.