North West Rail Link Update and Opal Cards Expansions - Coming to State Transit Buses!

Click Here For Updates

North West Rail Link Warnings Ignored - Sydney Morning Herald!

Although we have  mentioned this in different blogs,  the double-decker train carriages are still required by the public.

Click Here for the article from the Sydney Morning Herald - Report Jacob Saulwick

NSW Government Has Contracted Sky Train For North West Rail Link!

Check  out the NSW Government Announcement of the contracted Sky Trains - This mean  to me that they are on the move to get public transport expanded and provide new services in well desired areas.

Click Here to the NSW Governments Announcement on The contracted Sky Trains

Check Out Extensions To The North West Rail Link Future!

Found out more about the extension of the North West Rail extension from Cudgegong Railway Train Station on-wards.... !!!

Click here  for North West Rail Options

North West Rail Link - Update

(From the North West Rail Link Project Team)

Good afternoon

Two years after the establishment of the North West Rail Link Project Team, we are writing to advise you the NSW Government has awarded the AU$1.15 billion tunnelling contract to the Thiess, John Holland, Dragados Joint Venture.

This is an important day for the Project and a historic day for the people of North West Sydney. The signing of the tunnelling contract means tunnel boring machines will be in the ground in the second half of next year - as scheduled - with contract completion expected in the first half of 2017.

The North West Rail Link is a world-class project to be delivered by some of the most skilled tunnel contractors in the world. The consortium comprises Thiess, John Holland and Dragados, bringing a depth of Australian and international experience and expertise in delivering major infrastructure projects.  Each of the partners have delivered or are currently building tunnels for train systems around the world, including London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seville and New York.

The awarding of the contract heralds the beginning of a new high capacity rapid transit network for Sydney which will eventually include a new line through the CBD and beyond.

The contract involves:

·         Four "double-shield, hard rock, gripper" TBMs to build the 15km twin tunnels from Bella Vista to Epping;

·         Excavation and civil works for five new stations at Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Showground, Norwest and Bella Vista;

·         The first TBM will be in the ground by the end of next year, with the remainder to follow soon after; and,

·         Completion of the tunnel contract expected in the first half of 2017.

It is a major task to establish the construction sites in preparation for the arrival of the TBMs and this work, including major excavation work, will begin now.

The NSW Government announced last week the North West Rail Link budget has been set at $8.3 billion and the line will open by the end of 2019.

Once the tunnelling contract is complete in 2017, work will continue along the 36km length of the project to lay tracks, fit out stations and deliver Sydney’s new generation rapid transit trains.

The tunnelling contract is the first of three major contracts on the North West Rail Link to be awarded:

·         The skytrain and surface construction contract is out to tender and is expected to be awarded before the end of this year; and

·         Formal tender documents have been issued to the two shortlisted consortia competing to operate the North West Rail Link, with the contract expected to be awarded before the end of 2014. This contract will be a Public Private Partnership, subject to value for money criteria being met.

For further information on the North West Rail Link you can go to www.northwestrail.com.au

Call our Community Information Line: 1800 019 989

Visit our Community Information Centre: 299 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill

Update ON North West Rail Link Received

Subject: Fw: North West Rail Link Project Update
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 11:00

West Rail Link Project Update

You have been sent this email because we’d like to keep you informed about the North West Rail Link project. If you would no longer like to receive project updates, please reply with ‘Unsubscribe’ in the subject box

This month the North West Rail Link team we will issue the request for proposals to the two consortia competing for the Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) contract.

As part of the request for proposal, the NSW Government has today announced that the North West Rail Link will be delivered as a fully-automated rapid transit system.

This is an Australian-first and includes driverless trains and high-tech customer safety and security measures.

The requirement for full automation will be part of the RFP as will a series of customer service requirements which the operator will have to meet – like ensuring trains are on time, that trains and stations are clean and safe, and that customer service is paramount.

Fully-automated train technology has been in use around the world for 30 years.

The technology is focused on safety and reliability.

Millions of people on more than 40 rail lines in at least 14 countries travel every day on fully-automated rail systems.

Features of the system will include:

·         Driverless train operations, with trains constantly monitored by a team of expert controllers at a new state-of-the-art train control centre;
·         Platform screen doors on all platforms, making loading and unloading faster and safer;
·         Cooling and heating at underground stations for customer comfort;
·         Multiple cameras and help points in trains and on platforms and stations,  with live links to the train control centre; and
·         The Police Transport Command and transport officers patrolling the new rapid transit network, the same as the rest of the rail network.

When rapid transit expands beyond Chatswood with the crossing under Sydney Harbour, this automated system will allow the operation of up to 30 trains an hour on the wider network – a massive boost to future capacity.

The two consortia have until the end of this year to finalise their proposals.

The OTS contract will be awarded in the second half of next year.

For further information on the North West Rail Link you can go to www.northwestrail.com.au
Call our Community Information Line: 1800 019 989
Visit our Community Information Centre: 299 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill

Kind Regards,

The North West Rail Link Team
Transport for NSW

T 1800 019 989
Community Information Centre - 299 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154
www.northwestrail.com.au

  


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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.

Will The North West Rail Link Be Operated By The Private Sector?

The Hills Transport Working Group have made a media release regarding the privatisation of the North West Rail Link. Here's an excerpt:

The Hills Transport Working Group today issued a ‘please explain’ to the NSW Minister for Transport, Ms Gladys Berejiklian, after a leaked internal memo from Mr. Rob Mason the CEO of RailCorp reveals that “a private sector entity will design, construct, commission, operate and maintain the North West rail link including rail and tunnel systems, track, structures and stations for a period of 20 to 30 years” under an “access model”.

The Hills Transport Working Group has previously warned that an airport link-style private operator and station access model on the North West Rail Link could see North West residents paying as much as $20 extra per trip.

For the full release click here.

North West Rail Link - Updates

There has been some public discussions this week about the North West Rail Link after the Chairman of Infrastructure NSW, Nick Greiner, suggested that maybe the project should be a privately funded project. Click here for the story in the SMH

The local newspaper, The Hills News, then ran local vox-pops (asking people on the street) what they thought of this idea. Click here to see what they said.

The Sydney Business Park development manager Owen Walsh was then quoted by the Hills Shire Times as advocating for the North West Rail Link to be extended out through Schofields to the new Marsden Park industrial development near Mt Druitt (part of the North West Growth Centre). He also suggested the line could then join into the Western Line via Dunheaved and St Marys using the existing old trainline corridor. See that story here.