NSW's mega project Sydney Metro West progresses towards construction

New South Wales’ mega transport project, the Sydney Metro West, has officially commenced works, taking it a step closer to transforming Greater Sydney for generations to come. 

The Bays Station site is now being prepared for the arrival of tunnel boring machines. 

“Sydney Metro West is a life changing mega project which will transform how we get around Sydney and ensure we have the right transport in place to accommodate the city’s growth. 

“The NSW Government is continuing to invest record amounts in public transport projects, like Metro West, because we know improving transport makes a real difference to people’s lives, while also providing much needed local jobs,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. 

Once Sydney Metro West is up and running, it will help reduce crowding on three major train lines as well as remove tens of thousands of cars off the roads each day. 

Metro West is anticipated to create over 10,000 direct new jobs and about 70,000 indirect jobs over the life of the project, providing a much-needed boost to the local economy. 

“Investing in crucial job-creating infrastructure projects is a key focus of this year’s State Budget. 

“The NSW Government is investing tens of billions of dollars into delivering a new Metro network to connect Greater Sydney, including $2.1 billion in 2020-21 to get the construction of Sydney Metro West underway,” Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said. 

Road works at The Bays – which was assessed and approved for construction earlier this year – will enable the first of four mega tunnel boring machines to break ground before the end of 2022. 

This city-shaping transport infrastructure is set to double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD by delivering a new underground railway and new metro stations. 

The Sydney Metro West development features: 

• Faster, more frequent access to major employment and education centres like Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park and The Bays 
• A new metro station at Westmead – one of Australia’s largest health and education precincts 
• Delivering new rail services for the first time at Burwood North, Five Dock and The Bays 
• A new metro station at Sydney Olympic Park – Sydney's sporting and entertainment super-precinct 
• Integrated with the rest of Sydney’s public transport system 
• Fully accessible with lifts and level access between trains and platforms 
• Next generation fully air-conditioned metro trains 
• All Sydney Metro infrastructure like the stations, trains and railway tracks are owned by the NSW Government 
• Sydney Metro uses Opal ticketing and fares are set by the NSW Government 

“Sydney Metro West will deliver new fully accessible stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays and the Sydney CBD. 

“This once in a century infrastructure investment will have a target travel time of about 20 minutes between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, link new communities to rail services and support employment growth and housing supply,” Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said. 

In August of this year, three shortlisted consortia were announced for the first tunnelling works package – the Central Tunnelling Package. You can read more about the shortlisted builders here. 

Tunnelling and excavation works for the Sydney Metro West have been separated into two geographically specific work packages – the Central and Western Tunnelling Packages – due to the project’s massive scale. 

The Central Tunnelling Package includes the delivery of an 11-kilometre twin tunnels from The Bays to Sydney Olympic Park. This package of works is due to be awarded to a successful bidder by mid-2021. 

On the other hand, the Western Tunnelling Package will include the delivery of the remaining 9-kilometre stretch of twin tunnels from Westmead to Sydney Olympic Park. 

Source: Transport for NSW; NSW Government – Sydney Metro (1, 2)