The NSW state government is warning the shutdown of one of Sydney’s busiest train lines could last more than the initially forecast 12 months.
The T3 Bankstown line will close on September 30 for at least a year during upgrade works for what will eventually form the South West Metro network to stretch from the city’s North Shore at Chatswood to Bankstown.
It will increase commute times to and from the city for people living in the west who will have to travel on replacement buses.
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen acknowledged it would be a “disruptive” and “inconvenient” time for people travelling between Bankstown and Sydenham.
“I know this is going to be a painful period but there is light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
“We have a 12-month program to deliver this project and we will absolutely be holding our construction partners to account to deliver on it.
“But I do want to be up-front with passengers that it could take longer.”
The government is now expecting the closures to continue until “late 2025”.
Last year, NSW Premier Chris Minns re-committed to upgrading the century-old rail line into a driverless service.
There had been doubt over the extension to Bankstown last year as the Minns government grappled with cost and time blowouts inherited from its predecessor.
Once complete, trains will run every four minutes during peak times.
Government offers free bus travel
Passengers will travel for free on replacement bus services, known as Southwest Link, for the duration of the shutdown.
There will be 200 buses running from early in the morning to late seven days a week, and are expected to run every two to four minutes during peak travel times.
The state government said all bus driver positions have been successfully recruited for.
When the original timeline for the upgrades was announced in August last year, NSW locomotive division secretary, Farren Campbell, questioned if there would be enough drivers and said the upgrade would likely severely impact commuters.
“The changes to the Bankstown line are a totally unnecessary disruption to commuters who will be forced onto buses, during a time when there’s a crippling driver shortage in Sydney,” he said.
“The only people set to benefit from the conversion of the Bankstown line are greedy developers, there’s no benefit whatsoever for commuters.”
ABC News
