Tuesday 9 July 2024

Australia: Sydney Expects To Launch Their New Metro City Service By August 4 2024

Map of the Sydney Metro City and Southwest

This news is worthy of its own article because I'd like to show that in various parts of the world, their governments are delivering new transport infrastructure to provide new links to residents and visitors.

In New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the state government and Sydney Metro announce their expectations to open their new Metro City service by August 4th 2024.

From Sydney Metro - NSW Government

Target Sydney Metro City launch announced

Sydney is set to experience fast, safe, reliable metro trains through the city next month, with the landmark Sydney Metro City project targeting an opening date of August 4.

The launch is subject to the operator successfully completing trial running exercises, system performance tests and obtaining final regulatory approvals.

The new section of the M1 Northwest & Bankstown Line opening in August includes 15.5-kilometres of metro rail extending the existing Metro North West line from Chatswood, below the harbour and under the Sydney CBD, then out to Sydenham.

Sydney will soon experience new underground stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Gadigal and Waterloo, as well as new metro platforms at Central and Sydenham.

Fast and reliable metro services will arrive at each station every four minutes in the peak. No need for a timetable, just turn up and go.

A game-changing 2,645 new metro services will travel through the heart of the city each week, moving more than 37,000 people in the AM peak.

This represents a 160 per cent patronage growth on Sydney Metro services in the AM peak when compared to the existing Tallawong to Chatswood section.

More than 264,000 trips are expected to be taken on the line from Tallawong to Sydenham on a typical weekday.

Final confirmation of the opening date will be given in coming weeks following the operator successfully completing more than 100 remaining trial running exercises including:

• Joint exercises with emergency services practicing station and train evacuation scenarios
• Further station exercises at Crows Nest, Waterloo and Gadigal
• Testing alternative train timetables for planned and unplanned service disruption
• Managing crowds during special events at each station
• Evacuation of the Operations Control Centre to the back-up control centre

Read More

I have also tweeted the promotional video of Sydney Metro City on X (formerly Twitter).

This goes to show that public transport improvements are vital to improving the economy.

In the UK, there have been decades of hesitation and rejection with the proposals to deliver improvements to public transport; this includes the Underground, light rail and bus improvements.

Here are some of my tweets about past proposals for new transport infrastructure that have never been delivered.
I'm not an expert in economics or engineering, and safety remains the number one priority. There should be a way to deliver improvements to public transport without going through the hurdles of going through the local councils, Treasury, etc.

This is why I suggested in my previous article that the administrative divisions in England need restructuring to simplify and get services delivered; this includes planning for new transport infrastructure to improve the economy.
Investing in new public transport infrastructure and services helps the economy; by including:

• New job creation to reduce unemployment (for construction, infrastructure, staffing, etc.)
• Helps the supply chain (new orders of steel for rails, rolling stock, vehicles, etc.)
• Reduction of traffic congestion and pollution, as it will help reduce journey times.
• Improves accessibility for the disabled, especially wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs.

It's worth pointing out that when the Treasury invests in new transport infrastructure, not only will it improve the economy, but a fraction of the money goes back to the Treasury as the workers and businesses (of construction and infrastructure) pay taxes in the form of income tax, value-added tax (VAT), duties for certain products, corporation tax (for businesses), etc.

Once the new transport infrastructure is built and ready for new developments and businesses, it will help improve the economy with new housing and job creation, especially transport links.

Taking a look at Wikipedia, it shows there are multiple cities in various parts of the world that are currently constructing new metro systems. I would like to see new Underground/Metro systems built in various built-up areas of the UK.

I'm aware of the proposed Metrolink in Dublin, Ireland, where they expect to start construction by 2025.

I do acknowledge that new infrastructure may cause local issues, especially the loss of homes, green lands, forestry, etc., especially with the High Speed 2 (HS2) and East West Rail corridor schemes. In some cases, it can be possible to build new rail services by following the existing roads (especially dual carriageways and motorways) to help reduce the environmental impact.

I also acknowledge that the construction of a new transport infrastructure would impact residents with the noise, pollution, and congestion involving construction vehicles, especially with large vehicles delivering materials.

Short-term impacts are required to deliver improvements for everyone in the long run.

It's time for the government to start building new transport infrastructure, as it is the answer to reducing unemployment and improving the supply chain to improve industries!

You may be interested to learn that transport comes under the Critical National Infrastructure, in which I have published an article about it.

I invite you to follow me on X by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my X page here. I'm also on BlueSky and Mastodon

Further reading

Why is Creativity in Public Transport Important, Including Bus Route Planning and Branding?

Suggestion: Transport for London Should Revive the Old Speedbus Proposal From the 1970s as Part of Phase 2 of the Superloop

Suggestion: London Passenger Transport Area Including London Country Buses Should Be Revived To Enhance Cross-Boundary Connections

Suggestion: I Believe It’s Time for a New Regional Transport Body for the South East of England? (This will require change to the legislation in Parliament).

Making A Case For New Rapid Transit Lines (Including New Tram Lines) By Increasing Bus Priority Measures

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