West Metro

Both daily Sydney newspapers yesterday reported on a tentative plan by the State government to construct the West Metro, the second behind the North West Metro to be built in Sydney. Unlike the North West however, the West doesn't appear to yet be funded or have a timeline attached to it, except that it won't be up and running for at least 10 years. We could all be underwater by then of course, especially if the govt. pushes on with crazy plans to duplicate the M5 East and build the M4 extension.

From SMH:

TWO routes have been unveiled for a metro line to western Sydney - the West Metro project - which the State Government says will be built before any line to the eastern suburbs.

The line will cost up to $10 billion.

The Government said it is seeking federal funding for the line, which is unlikely to be in operation for at least 10 years.

Two routes are being studied for the West Metro: one shadowing Parramatta Road, travelling via Five Dock and Leichhardt to the city, and the other following the existing railway line. Both routes would run via Rosehill, Newington and Olympic Park.

The Premier, Morris Iemma, said the line shadowing Parramatta Road would be the cheaper of the two to build, at between $6 billion and $8 billion. A line following the existing rail network would be $8 billion to $10 billion.

Mr Iemma rejected criticism that a West Metro line built along the existing rail would cannibalise its profitability between Parramatta and the city. He said this option would help speed up services along the rail link, given the strong projected growth in patronage along the route.

Patronage on the western line is growing 6 per cent a year, twice the growth rate of patronage across the network over the past decade. It was this growth, plus population growth trends, which meant the Metro West line would take precedence over a line to the eastern suburbs, Mr Iemma said.

"If you're about improving the capacity of the current rail system and relieving congestion, then the western line … [is] the place that you get bigger bang for your buck in an investment in producing extra capacity," Mr Iemma said. "Extra capacity from Parramatta has flow-on benefits on other lines."

The Roads Minister, Eric Roozendaal, refused to indicate the estimated cost of duplicating the $800 million M5 East, or whether the second tunnel under study would be for exclusive use by trucks. Of the 100,000 vehicles that use the M5 East each day, an estimated 15,000 are trucks, the Government said.

The work on the M5 East duplication, which would extend beyond the existing M5 East to Port Botany, comes as the Government is finalising proposals for the M4 East, for which it is also seeking Federal Government financial support. The M4 East proposal includes an option which could result in a tunnel connecting to the airport and Port Botany.

The Government said it would be in a position to take its detailed assessments of these proposals to the Federal Government in 12 months, if it gained support for the projects, it would take another 18 months of planning before construction would begin, which would take eight to 10 years to complete.

Mr Iemma said the infrastructure fund flagged by the Federal Government "is money to seed these projects", which may still turn to the private sector for partnerships.

"I've already been in discussion with [the federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport] Mr [Anthony] Albanese," Mr Iemma said. "We'll be right in there with our projects, to tackle congestion in Sydney.

"By about the middle of next year, it will be decision time on the dollars to build these things. The important thing is they … contribute."

The State Government said yesterday it would add $20 million to the $25 million the Federal Government has committed to study the Metro West and M5 East duplication projects.

Regarding funding, from SMH:

The State Government wants Federal Government funding for the long-mooted M5 East tunnel, as well as for the proposed West Metro line, which would cost up to $10 billion alone.

Today NSW disclosed details of both projects saying it would help finance a Federal Government feasibility studies on both projects.

The Iemma government said it would contribute $20 million to the $25 million the Federal government has committed to study the Metro West and M5 east duplication projects.

NSW outlined two routes for the West Metro line, the first running along Parramatta Road, via Olympic Park and Leichhardt, to the city, would cost an estimated $6-8 billion.

The second option, for a metro line to run along the route of the existing heavy rail line, would cost $8-10 billion, NSW Premier Morris Iemma said.

NSW Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal refused to indicate the estimated cost of duplicating the M5 East, or whether the second tunnel here would be for exclusive use by trucks.

Of the 100,000 vehicles using the M5 East daily, an estimated 15,000 are trucks, the government said.

The Metro seems to have two alternative routes, with stations at

Circular Quay ,Martin Place , Pitt St, Central ,

then either

Sydney Uni , Leichhardt, Five Dock, Canada Bay, N Strathfield, or
Redfern , Newtown, Lewisham , Ashfield , Burwood , Strathfield , then

Olympic Park , Newington , Rosehill and Parramatta.

The article was accompanied by what looks like a Jubilee line train from the LU with 'West Metro' on the destination board.