An incredible new underground train in one of the world’s best cities is due to be completed in months and add 46 new stations.
The Sydney metro system has been undergoing a massive expansion that has seen the construction of 30 kilometres (18.75 miles) of new tunnels underneath Sydney’s famous harbour to the city’s Central Business District (CBD).
The tunnels, connected to brand-new stations, are due to open later this year. The B1M reported the new project would be one of the most transformative since the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened in 1932.
Figures suggest that Sydney, host of the Olympics in 2000, will have around over 100 kilometres (62 miles) of underground train tunnels by the year 2030.
The new tunnels, stations and driverless trains, known as the Sydney Metro City & Southwest, follow the opening of Sydney Metro’s first lines in 2019.
Speaking about the expansion the New South Wales government said: “A 30-kilometre extension of metro rail from the end of Metro North West Line at Chatswood under Sydney Harbour, through new CBD stations and south west to Bankstown.
“It is due to open between Chatswood and the Sydney CBD in 2024.”
As part of a commitment to work with local organisations affected by the metro, the government said it was working on revegetation projects. These projects, they said, would “help create outstanding public spaces for people to enjoy”.
They added: “The trial involves the planting and monitoring of more than 100 varieties of groundcover vegetation, with an emphasis on native plant species.
“The intention of the trial is to determine which plant varieties are the most resilient, require low levels of regular maintenance and prove to be a cost-effective alternative to conventional plantings.”
While the new metro system is designed to allow more people to get around Sydney faster, the rapid expansion has prompted concerns.
One of the main criticisms is that the underground did not ease pressure on overground trains in the area to a great extent.
Sydney University said: “The Metro’s fundamental deficiency becomes apparent south of Sydenham and results in its inability to operate at more than half its achievable capacity, whilst limiting relief to the rest of the rail system.”
Furthermore, they added that the metro system’s opening at the same time as the Covid-19 pandemic was an unfortunate, but negative, coincidence as passenger numbers were much lower than they would have been.
They said that the metro was not the only answer to solving Sydney’s travel issues and that solutions should also incorporate people who use cars.
They explained: “The most basic understanding of mobility requirements makes it apparent that trips to the future airport and adjacent centre will come from a variety of directions and, initially at least, will be primarily by car.
“In these circumstances, public transport access is best served by a network of express bus services linking both the airport and future city centre directly to the surrounding major nodes.”
And they concluded: “The cost of creating Sydney’s deliberately non-compatible metro rail system, let alone the cost of imposing it onto existing trackage … outweighs any imagined benefits from removing train drivers.”
