North West Metro
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This article or section contains information about a planned or expected public transportation infrastructure in Australia. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the infrastructure approaches, and more information becomes available. |
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| North West Metro | |
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|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Mode | Rapid transit proposed |
| Area | Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Hornsby, Parramatta, Ryde, Drummoyne, Leichhardt, Sydney |
| Owner | Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation |
| Design | |
| Length | 37 km |
| Stations | 17 |
| Connects | St. James, Martin Place, Wynyard, Pyrmont, Top Ryde, Epping, Castle Hill, Hills Centre, Rouse Hill |
| 1998 | Line announced |
| 2008 | Changed to metro project conjoined with North West Rail Link and Anzac Line |
| 2010 | Construction to begin |
| 2015 | Open from Hills Centre to Epping[1] |
| 2017 | Open of all stations from Rouse Hill to St. James |
| Operations | |
| Public transport | | |
The North West Metro (previously the North West Rail Link and Anzac Line) is a proposed metro line which will run from the northwestern suburbs of Sydney, Australia to the Sydney CBD. It will be undertaken by the NSW State Government as part of the larger SydneyLink initiative and will connect Epping with Rouse Hill and the Sydney CBD.
The line was part of the Metropolitan Rail Expansion Program (MREP). Before the change to a metro line, the MREP previously included the South West Rail Link, North West Rail Link and the CBD Rail Link. The MREP was intended to provide links between the major new growth and employment areas of the metropolitan region. With the combination of the North West Rail Link and the Anzac Line, the North West Metro would serve the growing population in north west Sydney and provide public transport connections to a number of important centres including the Epping, Top Ryde, Pyrmont, and the Sydney CBD.
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[edit] Proposed Route
The North West Metro will be 37 kilometres in length, with 32 kilometres underground and 5 kilometres above ground. The line is likely to be operated without drivers. The North West Metro will incorporate the alignment and stations previously proposed by the North West Rail Link but will include the additional benefits of directly linking the North West with Gladesville, Drummoyne, Pyrmont and the CBD.
There will be 17 new metro stations proposed at:
- St. James
- Martin Place
- Wynyard
- Pyrmont
- Rozelle
- Drummoyne
- Henley
- Gladesville
- Top Ryde
- Denistone East
- Epping
- Cherrybrook
- Castle Hill
- Hills Centre
- Norwest
- Kellyville
- Rouse Hill
In addition to the stations, a surface facility for ventilation and emergency egress, storage and/or amenities [2] will need to be constructed "at the midpoint of the tunnel between Epping and" Cherrybrook[3], to service the unusually long (6km) tunnel between the two stations. Although (according to planning documents[4]), "a location for this facility has not been finally determined and is subject to further design, planning and assessment", according to a SydneyLink map of the proposed Metro route the midpoint between the two stations lies in the Cheltenham/Beecroft area, within the bushland precinct known as "Chilworth Reserve".[5]
According to the State Government press release announcing the North West Metro project, the new Euro-style metro will offer a rail service of one train every four to five minutes (three minutes during peak hours). However, there is debate[6] whether advertised point-to-point transit times may be too optimistic. It will run on conventional standard gauge track, similar to the existing CityRail network. It is proposed to run single deck rolling stock along the route of the proposed North West Metro.[1] The new metro stations will provide connections with existing CityRail network at St. James, Martin Place, Wynyard and Epping stations.
[edit] History
The North West Rail Link was originally announced in 1998 as a heavy rail line for completion in 2010, in 2006 the schedule was revised for completion in 2017. On 20 November 2006, the government announced a staged plan for the North West Rail Line with train services to Castle Hill and Hills Centre in 2015, two years ahead of the original timing of 2017. On 18 March 2008 the Government changed the project to a metro line and expanded the line to run all the way to the Sydney CBD via the suburbs of Ryde, Gladesville, Drummoyne and Pyrmont. The section from Hills Centre to Epping will be completed by 2015, and the entire line from Rouse Hill to the city by 2017.[7][8]
The original North West Rail Link was planned to be 22 kilometres in length, consisting of a 16 kilometre section in tunnel from Epping to the proposed Burns Road Station, followed by a 4 kilometre section above ground from Burns Road Station to Rouse Hill. A train stabling facility was proposed at the north west of Rouse Hill Town Centre. The NWRL was to connect with the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link through a direct tunnel between Epping and Franklin Road stations, although an original proposal connected with the existing Northern Line north of Cheltenham.[9] The direct route was to use the stub tunnels originally built for the deferred Parramatta Rail Link between Parramatta and Epping.[9] New stub tunnels for the Parramatta Rail Link were to be constructed so that if the Parramatta line were completed, trains from Parramatta would have also been able to link into the Epping-Chatswood Line.[9]
Six new stations were proposed under the original plan to be constructed at:
The line was set to open in two stages, with the first stage from Epping to Hills Centre completed by 2015 (originally set for 2017). The second stage from Hills Centre to Rouse Hill was due by 2017. It was proposed that the original NWRL would offer an off peak rail service of four trains per hour, with six to eight trains per hour in peak periods and is expected to carry six to eight million passengers per year.
[edit] Possible future extension
There have been long term plans to extend the North West Metro to meet the existing Richmond branch of the Western Line near Vineyard. Additionally, under the original Anzac Line proposal (now part of SydneyLink), considerations are taken to extend the North West Metro with the South East Metro from St. James to Malabar via UNSW and Maroubra. However, the location of both alignments are not finalised and further investigation and studies are required to be undertaken. The investigations would be subject to a separate environmental assessments.
[edit] Criticisms
Since the announcement of the project by the NSW Government, the North West Metro has been the subject of sustained criticism by planning groups and urban transport experts.[10] The project’s announcement meant the junking of the previously proposed Metropolitan Railway Expansion Program (MREP) that would have linked the northwest and southwest areas of Sydney, which have long been delegated for absorbing future population growth, with a direct rail line to the commercial and employment corridor encompassing Macquarie Park, Chatswood, St Leonards, North Sydney, CBD and Sydney Airport. The now defunct CBD Rail Link, which would have provided for a second crossing of Sydney Harbour and up to four new City Rail stations within the city, would also have brought faster, more reliable services to every reach of the existing network by easing capacity on the severely congested City Circle, in particular Town Hall and Wynyard stations.
The government estimates that up to 38 per cent of north-west commuters will need to interchange at Epping to travel to the employment arc via the Epping to Chatswood line. As the north-west rail link has been scrapped, this line is unlikely to be allocated a sufficient number of services to carry the expect 11,400 people per hour that will be interchanging in this way. Alternatively, commuters will have to interchange to the north-shore line, having reached already congested Wynyard Station, in order to reach their final destination on the north shore. The Planning Institute of Australia has called for the project to be reconsidered in light of these structural flaws, saying "The Epping to Rouse Hill leg should be retained as a heavy rail corridor that is part of the City Rail network," the institute says. "This [would] provide a strong direct rail link between the north-western parts of Sydney and major employment locations on the northern side of Sydney Harbour."[11]
[edit] See also
- SydneyLink
- Anzac railway line, Sydney
- CBD Rail Link
- Epping to Chatswood Rail Link
- Original railway to the Hills District
- Railways in Sydney
- CityRail
- List of Sydney railway stations
[edit] References
- ^ a b Premier Iemma unveils Sydney’s first Euro-style metro rail project (PDF). Premier of New South Wales Department (2008-03-18).
- ^ http://www.tidc.nsw.gov.au/Documents/1155_PPRVol1.pdf Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation, North West Rail Link, Preferred Project report, Volume 1, May 2007, s.7.7.1, document page 73 (Adobe Page 81)
- ^ Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation, North West Rail Link, Preferred project report, Volume 1, May 2007, s.7.7.1, document page 73 (Adobe Page 81)
- ^ http://www.tidc.nsw.gov.au/Documents/1155_PPRVol1.pdf Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation, North West Rail Link, Preferred Project report, Volume 1, May 2007, s.7.7.1, document page 73 (Adobe Page 81)
- ^ http://www.sydlink.com.au/site/page.cfm?u=27 SydneyLink, The Future Of Sydney's Transport
- ^ "Metro will be too fast to get on", Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, March 31, 2008
- ^ Smith, Alexandra, "$12bn metro rail plan", Sydney Morning Herald, 18 March 2008. Accessed 18 March 2008.
- ^ Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation: North West Metro Project Profile
- ^ a b c New South Wales Government, TIDC North West Rail Link - Preferred Project Report Volume 1 May 2007. Accessed 18 March 2008.
- ^ Metro throws planning on its head, Sydney Morning Herald, 7th May 2008.
- ^ Position Statement on SydneyLink Proposal, Planning Institute of Australia, NSW. Accessed 27 May 2008.
[edit] External links
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