Project Overview June 2012 1800 019 989 northwestrail.com.au Project Overview snapshot Delivered as part of Sydney’s Rail Future. Planning well advanced. Construction starts later this year. Tunnelling begins in 2014. Multi-billion dollar tender process underway. $3.3 billion in State Budget over the next four years. Contents Draft TfNSW Minister’s foreword 3 MASTER Project map 4 PLAN New rail and improved customer service 5 The North West Rail Link 6 Why single deck trains? 7 Strategic context 8 SYDNEY’S RAIL FUTURE Core project activities 10 Construction map 11 Latest project news 12 NORTH WEST RAIL LINK Sydney’s Rail Future 14 Understanding the challenges 15 The customer experience 17 Stations meeting customer needs 18 Single Fast, deck A train Turn up reliable trains every five and go rail minutes FRONT COVER: Artist’s impression: North West Rail Link Skytrain at Rouse Hill 2 Project Overview snapshot Minister’s foreword The North West Rail Link is a key compared with current unpredictable Of course, the North West Rail Link infrastructure project for the NSW peak hour road trips. cannot be developed in isolation to Government. the rest of the rail system. While delivering public transport The Government has made a clear choice and flexibility to the north It is for this reason that the North commitment to get on with the task west, the Government has been West Rail Link – the newest part of of building this massive project, and working on its Fixing the Trains the system – will be at the forefront of to have tunnel boring machines in initiative which is designed to improve change designed to improve the entire the ground by 2014. The project will rail services across the network. rail network. The North West Rail Link deliver benefits to the north west of will be the first line in Sydney to enjoy The Government has also been Sydney and the broader metropolitan a new generation of rail travel – in fast, developing a draft long term area for generations to come. safe, efficient single deck trains. Transport Master Plan to identify Today, many people in north west priorities for the next 20 years. This Project Overview explains how Sydney rely on buses to meet their the North West Rail Link will integrate One major outcome of this work is public transport needs – or they have with the long term transformation Sydney’s Rail Future – a long term rail to use cars to get to work, study or of the network and deliver better plan that will transform the way our services. Modern, reliable and safe outcomes for our customers across trains operate and the services they rail will provide commuters with north west Sydney. provide our customers. faster and more convenient journeys Gladys Berejiklian MP MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT 3 Project Overview Project map W in d so r R o Mount Kuring-gai Vineyard ad Mount Colah Riverstone DURAL Cudgegong Asquith Road NORTH WEST Rouse HillRouse Hill GROWTH CENTRE d Hornsby R rn Legend e Waitara Schofields h t r o N KellyvilleKellyville d Project l O Wahroonga New railway stations Normanhurst STANHOPE GARDENS Hills Centre Warrawee Existing railway stations Cherrybrook Commuter car Thornleigh Turramurra Bella VistaBella Vista parking facilities Rd Castle HillCastle Hill t Hills Castle Hill Rd an PARKLEA n Pennant Hills Facilities at all new NWRL stations n FRENCHS NorwestNorwest e P Pymble FOREST M7 Bus interchange Marayong Beecroft Taxi WEST PENNANT Gordon HILLS Cheltenham Cycle LALOR M2 PARK M2 Killara O l CHATSWOOD d Kiss and ride Macquarie W i Seven n M2 EppingEpping d University Easy access Blacktown Hills s Lindfield o r R o WINSTON a Other d HILLS Carlingford North Roseville Existing railway Macquarie Toongabbie Ryde NORTHMEAD Eastwood Park Chatswood Strategic road network Telopea Interchange Road network Denistone M4 Pendle Hill Dundas Rail systems on existing Bus T-ways West Ryde Artarmon Epping to Chatswood Wentworthville Rydalmere Westmead Rail Link to be upgraded Meadowbank Parramatta Camellia St 0km 5km Leonards Harris Park Rosehill Note: This diagram is indicative only Rhodes Wollstonecraft 4 Project Overview New rail and improved customer service Sydney’s Rail Future is the Until construction of a second blueprint for improving rail across harbour crossing, the new line will Sydney over the next 20 years ... initially operate as a high frequency SYDNEY’S capacity increases, while at the same a customer focused transport plan service between Rouse Hill and time better meeting the needs of our to modernise our rail system. Chatswood. RAIL FUTURE customers with faster journey times and services that are more regular, It includes the introduction of Customers will simply cross the Transport for NSW has carefully more reliable and tailored to different new style rapid transit and will platform at Chatswood and wait a assessed how to deliver the North journey types. deliver more trains and more few minutes for the next train to West Rail Link in the context of Clearly, the key employment centre of choice for customers. St Leonards, North Sydney, the CBD Sydney’s broader rail network, the Sydney CBD lends itself to a rapid and beyond. identifying how this new project can Developed as a core component transit service. provide the best possible service to of the Long Term Transport Master Planning work will start immediately meet the needs of the future. Plan, it will create the largest on a second harbour crossing. In addition, Sydney’s global economic corridor contains many of Sydney’s increase in capacity to the Sydney The second harbour crossing will The previous reference scheme employment and education centres rail network for 80 years. extend the new rapid transit system developed for the project outlined and is now extending further to the through to the city, eventually proposals to extend the existing rail The North West Rail Link is part north west, with Rouse Hill emerging linking up with lines to the south network with the same style of double of Sydney’s Rail Future and will be as the next major centre. It is a key that will be converted to single deck trains currently experienced across built as the first of Sydney’s new area for transit work trips, with many deck operation (including the the rest of Sydney. rapid transit services. Bankstown and the Illawarra lines). people embarking and disembarking However, through the development of The existing 13 kilometre Epping at the various destinations along the the Transport Master Plan, Sydney’s to Chatswood Rail Link will be corridor. Rail Future has emerged as the incorporated into the North These trips also lend themselves to preferred approach to meet customer West Rail Link, and the entire 36 a turn up and go, fast and frequent and capacity needs. kilometre line between Cudgegong stopping service. Road, Rouse Hill and Chatswood The long term planning associated with For these reasons, the North West will feature new single deck trains. Sydney’s Rail Future has taken a whole- Rail Link has been identified for the of-network approach, in the context This will require upgrading of first new single deck services which of where the anticipated growth in signalling and train operating will be introduced across key parts population and employment will be. systems between Epping and of the network in the next decade Chatswood to integrate with the It has analysed the forecast future and beyond. North West Rail Link. demand across the network to identify areas requiring significant 5 Project Overview The North West Rail Link New high frequency single deck Railway systems on the existing line Bus, pedestrian, car, cycling and KEY FEATURES train service from Cudgegong Road between Epping and Chatswood accessible facilities at all stations. through to Chatswood – 12 trains will be upgraded to create an 15 kilometres of new tunnels. Key features of the North West Rail per hour in the peak. integrated line with the North Link are: West Rail Link. Smaller diameter tunnels will be Convenient “cross platform” excavated for single deck trains. The North West Rail Link will be the interchange at Chatswood. Major bus interchange facilities 4 kilometres of Skytrain between first line in Sydney to feature new at Rouse Hill and Castle Hill. In the future, north west trains will Bella Vista and Rouse Hill. single deck trains. use the second harbour crossing to 4,000 car parking spaces spread access the city and beyond. across five stations. 6 Project Overview Why single deck trains? Sydney’s Rail Future is driven by the and disembarking at the various single deck trains and can allow more the important effect of further recognition that current suburban destinations along the corridor. trains per hour to travel on the line. extending the reach of the global and intercity services of double deck economic corridor further into the Single deck trains have the The new service will also consolidate trains, while suitable for particular north west. advantage of being able to load and centres at Castle Hill, Norwest lines on the network, cannot meet unload quickly at stations, allowing Business Park and the emerging the needs of all customers and all more trains per hour on any given centre of Rouse Hill and it will have journeys. line. This is a particular advantage The long term planning process has on lines of high demand which investigated the needs of customers. include multiple major employment destinations. For example, many passengers make the daily commuter trip to Because of its strong connection to SINGLE DECK TRAINS: Parramatta and the CBD from the the global economic corridor, the FIRST IN THE NORTH WEST west and south west.