RailCorp has a multi-billion dollar Rail Growth Strategy to increase capacity and expand the CityRail network. There are three key phases of growth which include:
The Rail Growth Strategy is supported by a range of new infrastructure projects, station upgrades and the acquisition of new trains. New timetables will be introduced at various stages to deliver customer benefits as early as possible.
Phase 1 - reducing congestion and overcrowding
The first stage of the Rail Growth Strategy is to reduce congestion and overcrowding. This involves:
• unlocking capacity and reducing congestion on the network;
• providing additional peak hour train services;
• increasing the length of some trains from 6 to 8 carriages;
• adjusting the timetable to spread crowding more evenly across train services;
• restoring and maintaining service reliability by developing robust timetables; and
• laying the foundations to expand the rail network by building the Epping - Chatswood Rail Link.
Phase 1 of the Rail Growth Strategy requires delivery of the following new assets:
122 Oscars
 These carriages provide new growth trains for the rail network. Oscars will operate on the Central Coast, South Coast and Blue Mountains lines and will be deployed as they become available. The new Oscar sets will displace and make available outer suburban Tangara trains to be used to ease crowding on suburban lines. This will involve building some 6 car sets up to 8 cars, as well as providing new peak services.
Epping to Chatswood Rail Link
This link is a new underground passenger line connecting the Northern and North Shore lines at Epping and Chatswood. The new 12.5km tunnel includes three new stations at Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde. Epping and Chatswood stations will also be upgraded to integrate the new line with the broader CityRail network.
The principle benefits of the Epping - Chatswood Rail Link include:
• frequent rail services to the expanding employment, education, retail and precincts at Macquarie Park and North Ryde. This will expand the Global Economic Crescent (Airport - CBD - North Shore) to include the Macquarie Park area;
• releasing capacity to enable additional Western Line services to be provided; and
• being the critical stage to further expand the CityRail network to the developing North West sector.
North Sydney Station upgrade
North Sydney has developed as Sydney’s second CBD and Australia’s fourth largest CBD. North Sydney Station is the fifth busiest station on the CityRail network with approximately 46,000 people using this station each weekday. This station will be upgraded to reduce crowding, improve access for disabled or mobility restricted passengers and support future growth.
Phase 2 - utilising capacity
The second stage of the Rail Growth Strategy is to maximise available capacity. This involves:
• unlocking capacity by eliminating network bottlenecks. The delivery of the Rail Clearways infrastructure will allow all CBD lines to operate at maximum practical capacity. This will enable additional peak services to the CBD as well as service improvements on the Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra, Cronulla branch, Airport & East Hills, South, Bankstown, Inner West and Richmond branch and Western lines;
• Delivery of 626 new CityRail carriages, including the build up of all remaining 6 car trains to 8 car trains, providing an increase in suburban fleet capacity by 4%;
• Delivery of 13 new growth trains, increasing suburban fleet capacity by a further 8%; and
• All suburban trains on the network to be air-conditioned and comfortable with high capacity to seat up to 900 passengers.
Phase 2 of the Rail Growth Strategy requires delivery of the following new assets:
Rail Clearways plan
This NSW Government initiative will strengthen reliability and increase capacity on the CityRail network, presently recognised as one of the most complex in the world. This plan comprises 15 projects to simplify the network to allow more reliable and frequent services and to increase capacity for future growth.
New air-conditioned carriages
Purchase of 626 modern, air-conditioned carriages to replace the remainder of the non air-conditioned carriages as well as provide additional carriages for growth. These carriages will provide customers with a more comfortable journey.
Phase 3 - expanding the reach of the network
The third stage of the Rail Growth Strategy will expand the reach of the rail network to serve new areas and substantially increase the rail capacity across the network. This requires delivery of the following new assets:
South West Rail Link
This link will provide new rail access to the south west growth centre which will serve a community of approximately 250,000 residents.
Delivering Rail Clearways
The Rail Clearways plan is an initiative of the NSW Government to strengthen reliability and increase capacity on the CityRail network, presently recognised as one of the most complex in the world. This plan comprises 15 projects to simplify the network to allow more reliable and frequent services and to increase capacity for future growth.
Further information on the Phase 3 projects is available at the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation website. |
