FUNDING SECURED: SYDNEY METRO TO BE A REALITY

Sydney’s much-needed second harbour rail crossing will become a reality now that
funding has been secured for the NSW Government’s $20 billion Rebuilding NSW plan.

NSW Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance today announced the Sydney Metro project will be a new 66 kilometre high capacity rail line that will bust congestion and revolutionise public transport in our city.

“The second harbour rail crossing has been talked about for decades – today for the first time residents of Sydney know the funding is there to make it a reality,” Mr Baird said.

“Sydney Metro will be the new backbone of our public transport network; it’s critical to boosting capacity and ‘turn up and go’ services will make travel easier than ever before.”

Sydney Metro has two core components:

 Sydney Metro Northwest – comprising the 36km North West Rail Link which is due to open in the first half of 2019 with a train every four minutes in the peak.

 Sydney Metro City & Southwest – the new 30km metro line from the end of Sydney Metro Northwest, under Sydney Harbour through the CBD and west to Bankstown.

“Together with upgrades to the Western Line, Sydney Metro will help deliver a 60 per cent capacity increase across the entire network, or move an extra 100,000 people per hour across the city,” Mr Constance said.

“This is a mega congestion busting project and it’s already well underway, with tunnelling almost halfway complete on Sydney Metro Northwest.”

Community consultation begins today on Sydney Metro City & Southwest, which will have the ability to deliver a train every two minutes in the CBD.

Later this month hundreds of industry experts from around Australia and across the world will attend a briefing to find out more about how the NSW Government will deliver Sydney Metro.

Community feedback prompted the name change from Sydney Rapid Transit to Sydney Metro, with customers telling us they wanted a simple name just like the London Tube or the Metro in Paris and Dubai.

The public is asked to have its say on the city-shaping project until July 17. Eight
information sessions will be held throughout June and July along the project route. Visit www.sydneymetro.info for more details.