Daily commute times will double today as a Sydney train line closes for upgrades and will not reopen for at least 12 months.
The conversion of the 130-year-old T3 Bankstown line to the metro will force thousands of commuters to use buses and lengthen their journeys to the city’s CBD.
A fleet of pink buses, known as South West Link, will replace trains in Sydney’s south-west and inner west for the duration of the upgrades.
The difficulty involved in the conversion could also cause the upgrade to take even longer than the scheduled year.
New South Wales Transport Minister Jo Haylen, dressed in pink as she spoke on Sunday, acknowledged the closure will be difficult for affected commuters.
“The closure of the line marks the end of an era, but the beginning of a new one,” he said.
“This transformation of T3 will see the line continue to serve our city for the next century.”
Ms Haylen added: “There is no way to sugarcoat it – this lockdown will be an incredibly difficult time for these communities, and we have been honest that it could take more than a year.”
“Please allow enough additional travel time, check your travel planning apps or transportnsw.info,” he said.
Daily commute times will double from tomorrow when a busy Sydney train line closes for upgrades and will not reopen for at least 12 months (file image)
The last T3 service will end at Circular Quay at 00:06 and will be replaced by free bus services.
The carriages are expected to be filled with hundreds of train enthusiasts to commemorate the final journey.
The all-stop SW1 service will cover Sydenham, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl and Bankstown.
SW2’s limited stop service will cover Sydenham, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl and Bankstown.
And the SW3 limited stop service will cover Sydenham, Canterbury and Campsie.
Trips will take longer, especially at peak times, in some cases doubling travel times, depending on models.
When completed, the Metro service will be known as the M1 Northwest & Bankstown Line, connecting 30km between Bankstown and Tallawong.
Ms Haylen said: ‘The Bankstown line has been a stalwart of New South Wales railways and has faithfully served communities for more than a century.
‘Today we want to honor the past, while looking toward the bright future of our city’s public transportation.
‘We have seen this line move from steam trains to electrification; Now is the time for its latest upgrade to allow for modern metro trains.
But the conversion of the 130-year-old T3 Bankstown line to the tube involves difficult upgrades, meaning it could remain closed even longer than planned (file image)
The conversion of the T3 Bankstown line (orange) to the metro will result in the closure of all stops between Bankstown and Sydenham for at least 12 months
“T3 deserves a fitting farewell and we know many Sydneysiders will be taking one last heavy rail journey today.”
Although the Transport Minister is optimistic about the changes, some commuters are very unhappy with how long it will take, with one suggesting Sydney Trains employees spend too much time on social media.
—How long will the Bankstown line be closed again? 2 years, right? Stop the memes and do your job,’ they wrote.
While the exact cost of the free replacement bus service has not been revealed, when unions previously threatened to delay the plans, Haylen said it would cost about $100 million a month, or about $3.6 million a day.