A metro train has become the first to travel the entire length of the M1 Metro North West & Bankstown Line from Tallawong to Bankstown, marking an exciting milestone in the delivery of the extension.
The train in testing stopped at all 31 stations over the 66-kilometre route hitting speeds of 100km/h on the new section of the track
When the line opens later this year, a metro train will run every four minutes in the peak, with 15 metro trains an hour compared to eight trains an hour on the former heavy rail T3
Bankstown line, nearly doubling the services connecting South-West Sydney to rest of the city.
Part of the Minns Labor Government's record $30 billion a year infrastructure investment, the extended line will transform the connection to the rest of the city for communities in Sydney's southwest and deliver more opportunities in education, employment and leisure.
Passengers at Bankstown will get to Gadigal Station in 30 minutes, saving a full 15 minutes compared to the 45 minutes it took to get to Town Hall on the former heavy rail line.
Passengers across Sydney's Southwest will benefit, with time savings that include:
- Marrickville to Gadigal: 12 minutes - saving 12 minutes
- Bankstown to Central: 28 minutes - saving six minutes
- Campsie to Macquarie University: 44 minutes - saving 17 minutes
- Lakemba to Victoria Cross: 37 minutes - saving 24 minutes
The current high-speed testing phase requires a minimum 9,000 hours and 30,000 kms of combined testing to be completed before the line opens.
Across the Southwest line, 79 per cent of work in the corridor and at stations is now complete, with tiling largely completed at four stations and works progressing at the remaining six. Painting and landscaping are also underway at most stations.
Testing is well underway on the platform screen doors and mechanical gap fillers, with this world-leading safety technology already passing its first round of tests at every station.
The next step is integration testing with the test train later this year.
During this high-speed testing phase on the Southwest extension, more than 70 key integration tests will be completed to ensure individual systems work together and to verify the performance, functionality and safety of the trains and new infrastructure.
As part of the final conversion, crews will complete work to integrate the Southwest Metro with the existing metro line. This will require a series of full and partial line closures of the M1 Line in the lead up to opening.
While disruptive, these closures are essential to allow for work to safely take place within the rail corridor
In January Metro services will not run on the following weekends to allow for essential systems testing:
17-18 January
24-25 January
During closure periods, passengers will have access to replacement buses between Tallawong and Chatswood, and Sydney Trains services between Chatswood and Sydenham.
The Minns Labor Government thanks the communities in Sydney's southwest for their patience as the project progresses and passengers on the M1 Line metro who will be affected by some upcoming weekend closures for essential work to integrate the new line.
Minister for Transport, John Graham said:
"The first metro train to cover the entire 66-kilometre length of line is an exciting day for all of Sydney.
"It is even more exciting for the people of Southwest Sydney who have been patiently waiting for their turn to join the metro network.
"With a service every four minutes, metro will transform this area's connection to the rest of the city, providing many more opportunities in jobs and education.
Member for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis said:
"The Southwest Metro is a transformational project that when complete will better cater for the transportation needs of southwest Sydney and deliver more job opportunities for the people of Canterbury.
"Once the Metro opens commuters will be able to travel from Wiley Park to Central, Gadigal and Barangaroo Metro stations in less than 30 minutes.
"I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the local community for their flexibility in arranging alternative transport as this important project reaches another major milestone.
"I would also like to extend to the community my sincere thanks for their patience and understanding during this work."
Member for Bankstown, Jihad Dib said:
"We know the construction and testing period has taken time and acknowledge the inconvenience this has caused people in south-west Sydney. I want to thank the community for their patience as we deliver a Metro that will provide frequent services and improved access across Sydney.
"Commuters travelling from the Bankstown Metro station will shave significant time off their journey to key stations such as Martin Place, Barangaroo, Macquarie University and Chatswood."
Member for Summer Hill, Jo Haylen said:
"It's been a long journey for our community, and I want to thank everyone for their patience as we've worked to deliver a better public transport network for Inner West and Canterbury-Bankstown residents.
"Once complete, the South West Metro will deliver a peak service every four minutes, getting passengers to Victoria Cross in just 21 minutes and to Chatswood in under 30 minutes from Dulwich Hill Station - a major improvement that will make daily travel faster, easier and more reliable, helping more people choose public transport more often."
