Update Of The North West Rail - Courtesy of Mr Ray Williams - NSW Parliamentary Secretary, Western Sydney

North West Rail Link

 

Two key milestones had been reached on the North West Rail Link, marking significant progress in work to build the tunnels and skytrain. The Government has now officially called tenders to build the tunnels and started the process to build the skytrain.  

Three shortlisted consortia have been invited to start preparing their tender bids to design and build the 15km of tunnels between Bella Vista and Epping.  We’re on track to have the first of the tunnel boring machines in the ground in 2014. Expressions of interest have also been called for the Surface and Viaduct Civil Works (SVC) contract, which includes construction of the 4km skytrain between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill. The contract includes the design and construction of the 4km skytrain between Kellyville and Rouse Hill including bridges and crossings.  

The project’s second Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) went on exhibition at the end of October and North West Sydney got its first look at the city’s eight new railway stations and other major benefits of the North West Rail Link. 

The community will have until December 3 to have their say on the second EIS which highlights key benefits of the project, including design and operation of the eight new railway stations at Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Showground, Norwest, Bella Vista, Kellyville, Rouse Hill and Cudgegong Rd, commuter parking for 4,000 cars and how the rapid transit rail link operates, including the new generation single deck trains announced as part of Sydney’s Rail Future.

The North West Rail Link is forecast to reduce car trips by 14 million a year soon after opening – this is about 12,000 fewer car trips in an average two-hour weekday morning peak. The reduction in car trips is forecast to increase to 20 million a year by 2036.

The trip from Cudgegong Road, Rouse Hill to Macquarie Park will take about 28 minutes, to Chatswood 37 minutes and to Wynyard (including an interchange) 57 minutes.