Sydney’s $23 billion Southwest Metro line has opened to a strong commuter response, with 1,150 passengers boarding the first service from Bankstown at 4.31am on October 30.
By 10am, about 18,000 people had travelled from the 10 stations along the new route. Bankstown and Campsie were the busiest stops.
New South Wales Transport Minister John Graham said the opening day had been marked by “smooth running”, while Howard Collins of Transport for New South Wales reported no major problems.
“So far, it’s been fantastic,” Mr Collins said.
The main issue affecting Sydney’s Southwest Metro
The principal teething problem involved the automated platform sliders designed to bridge the gap between the platform edge and arriving trains.
The rail safety regulator has found that gaps at some stations remain too wide, meaning nearby train doors have been locked until the issue is resolved.
Premier Chris Minns described the problem as “a little kink” that authorities would work through.
Sydney Metro chief executive Camilla Drover addressed the crowd at Bankstown station before the inaugural service departed, saying: “I can hear the noise behind me. So let’s all get onboard and go!”
Jo Haylen, the Member for Summer Hill, thanked residents and businesses for their patience during more than two years of construction and said the line would change lives.
Jihad Dib, the Member for Bankstown, said the project represented a major investment in a community that had not always felt it received the best infrastructure.
Relief as replacement buses are removed
The opening ends a period in which buses replaced trains while the century-old heavy rail line was converted to the modern Metro system.
Passengers welcomed the return of rail services, with one commuter celebrating: “No more buses!” Another said they were pleased not to have to drive to work each morning.
Some residents along the route, however, have complained about noise from the new driverless trains. Mr Minns acknowledged the concern, while Mr Collins said people were not yet used to the sound and argued that each Metro passenger represented one fewer car on the road.
Mr Minns said the line’s overall benefit would make the project worthwhile, but acknowledged its $23 billion price tag.
The Premier declined to commit to further Metro lines, saying the immediate priority was completing Metro West, which will link Sydney with Parramatta and beyond.
“I’d love to build more Metros but they’re very expensive and they take a lot of time,” he said. “We will build Metros when we can afford them.”
Opposition Liberal MP Scott Farlow has called for further expansion and suggested there could be announcements about a proposed northwest-to-southwest link from Tallawong to Macarthur in the months before next year’s state election.
