The largest escalators in the Southern Hemisphere have been installed at Central as part of Sydney Metro's $955 million transformation of Australia's busiest railway station.
Work on the new Sydney Metro Central Station is well advanced, with excavation of the underground cavern and installation of the new metro platforms complete.
Premier Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Transport and Minister for Veterans David Elliott inspected the new landmark underground pedestrian link, Central Walk, a 19-metre wide by 80-metre-long concourse underneath platforms 16 to 23.
"This city-shaping work is an extraordinary engineering and construction accomplishment. We're delivering this Metro rail station below the surface at Central, while existing train services continue above," Mr Perrottet said.
"The upgrade to Central Station will create more than 5,500 jobs over the four years of construction, and represents the biggest improvement to the station in decades."
Minister Elliott said the Northern Concourse canopy has now been installed and is now part of the Central landscape, providing an extra 540 square metres of open space.
"The roof over this transformed pedestrian thoroughfare, made in the Hunter Valley, sits 16 metres above ground and weighs 330 tonnes," he said.
"While construction continues on Metro with the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project services on track to start in 2024, the first stage of Central Walk is being prepared to open this year.
"When complete, this underground link will make it easier for customers to connect with train, bus light rail and metro services."
Central Walk and the new escalators from Platforms 12 to 23, as well as the lifts to Platforms 12-23 will also be open in late 2022, with the new Metro platforms to become operational once Sydney Metro City & Southwest services begin in 2024.
