Australia's first Metro station complete
Sydney Metro has reached another major milestone with the first station now complete, giving Sydney an insight into how the world class rail line will look when it opens in the first half of next year.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance today inspected Tallawong Station in Rouse Hill, which is one of 13 Sydney Metro Northwest stations.
“This is an extremely exciting day for Sydney Metro with this brand new transport system a step closer to taking customers between Rouse Hill and Chatswood,” Ms Berejiklian said
“We are delivering Australia’s first Metro and Australia’s biggest public transport project on time and at least $500 million under budget.
“Today we can see just how impressive this rail line will be and it is only possible because of the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.”
Mr Constance said some of the key differences between a typical suburban line and the 21st century Sydney Metro is platform screen doors at all stations and fully automated driverless trains.
“As part of our plan to improve transport, the NSW Government is delivering Australia’s first fully-accessible metro railway with cutting-edge technology to keep customers safe,” Mr Constance said.
“Platform screen doors keep people and objects like prams away from the tracks, creating a physical barrier at the edge of the platform which also allows trains to get in and out of stations much faster.
“These doors only open and close at the same time as the train doors and are a key safety and technology feature of Sydney Metro.”
The doors were tested today as part of the commissioning process and are being calibrated with the communication-based train control system, which lines up the train with the doors and only opens both sets of doors when both are aligned.
At the underground stations the door structures reach the ceiling and allow the platforms to be heated and cooled, providing additional comfort for customers and keeping the train corridor separate from them.
Sydney Metro is a fully accessible railway for people in wheelchairs, parents with prams and those who are less able – there are lifts at all stations, level access between platforms and trains, two wheelchair spaces per train carriage and two multi-purpose areas per train for prams, luggage and bicycles.
Tallawong Station has 1000 commuter car parking spaces, four bus bays, 13 kiss-and-ride spaces and parking and storage for 55 bicycles.
The NSW Government is delivering 4000 new commuter car parking spaces across the Sydney Metro Northwest project.
Sydney Metro opens in the city’s north-west in the second quarter of 2019.
Customers will have 15 trains an hour in the peak in each direction.
Sydney Metro will be extended from Chatswood, under Sydney Harbour, into the city and beyond to Bankstown in 2024 – when Sydney will have 31 metro stations and 66km of new metro rail.