Parramatta Light Rail

Background and initial announcement

In 2013, Parramatta City Council published a $1 million feasibility study into a proposed Western Sydney Light Rail Network, designed to improve transport links throughout Western Sydney and meet the challenges posed by the projected rise in population in the region in the coming decades. The study found that a light rail system was a viable solution to address the growing transport needs of Parramatta and Western Sydney. The report estimated $20 million in funding was required to undertake a detailed investigation and to prepare a business case.^[1] It proposed that construction of the network would take place in several stages, the first of which comprised a route from Macquarie Centre to Castle Hill via Eastwood, Dundas, Parramatta and Baulkham Hills, with a branch from Parramatta to Westmead. Further extensions were proposed from Parramatta to Bankstown and Rhodes.^[1]

As part of its 2014/15 budget, the New South Wales Government announced Transport for NSW would investigate ten potential light rail routes in Western Sydney. The government allocated $400 million to ensure funds for detailed planning and construction of an initial project would be 'ready to go', should the investigations prove favourable.^[2] Six of the ten routes being investigated were eliminated from contention in October 2014.^[3] The routes investigated were:

Of the final four routes, the Macquarie Park via Carlingford and the Strathfield via Olympic Park options were perceived as the frontrunners to be selected.^[4] The Macquarie Park route was supported by Parramatta, Ryde and The Hills councils.^[5][6][7] The Strathfield route was supported by The WestLine Partnership, a lobby group consisting of businesses and organisations with a presence in the area.^[8] Auburn and Canada Bay councils were later joined by Strathfield Council as members of the group.^[9][10]

The Strathfield route passes through industrial areas of Sydney and the potential for these areas to generate funding and patronage was a key point of contention during the lobbying period. The WestLine Partnership suggested the Strathfield route could be partially financed via value capture. Property developers building urban renewal projects along the line would provide a financial contribution to the government.^[11] The group also suggested building a branch from Newington to Rhodes and indicated its funding model could allow a route to Carlingford to be built as well.^[12] Supporters of the Macquarie Park route argued the needs of that corridor were more pressing and the Strathfield route would be poorly utilised in its early years.^[13][14]

The Parramatta Light Rail scheme was officially unveiled on 8 December 2015, when the government announced it had selected the Strathfield route plus a truncated version of the Macquarie Park route that ends at Carlingford.^[15] The two routes were proposed to converge at Camellia and proceed through Parramatta to Westmead.

The government's announcement included a $1 billion contribution towards the project. The government will also adopt the value capture approach advocated by The WestLine Partnership, by instigating a "Special Infrastructure Contribution" on new residential developments along the route. The revenue raised by the levy will be used to help fund the light rail and other infrastructure for the area.^[15] The government's investigations into the value capture process held up the announcement of the preferred route but would reportedly have allowed the two lines to be built together.^[11] The state government will also explore funding contributions from the federal and local tiers of government.^[15] The convenor of The WestLine Partnership stated that the light rail project's funding model would be used as a test case for funding future infrastructure projects.^[10]

Construction of the lines was expected to commence in late 2018 but there was no announcement of an expected completion date or a total budget for the project.^[16][17] An early estimate from January 2016 put the total cost at $3.51 billion.^[18]

Deferral and redesign of the eastern branch

The Parramatta River passing through Rydalmere and Camellia, as seen in 2010. A mixture of low density housing and light industry can be seen on the Rydalmere side of the river. Heavy industry dominates on the Camellia side. Sydney Olympic Park can be seen in the middle distance.

In August 2016 Transport for NSW noted the project could be delivered in stages.^[19] A new metro line between the Sydney central business district and Parramatta was announced in November 2016.^[20] The metro would adopt a similar route to the Strathfield branch of the light rail; media reports indicated the metro project would most likely cause the deferral of construction of this branch.^[21] This was confirmed in February 2017, when it was announced that the Westmead - Camellia section and the Carlingford branch would be built as stage 1 of the light rail project.

Despite the deferral of construction, planning work for the Strathfield via Sydney Olympic Park branch continued.^[22] Media reports indicated the route could shift from running to the south of the Parramatta River to the north of the river and that the section from Sydney Olympic Park to Strathfield could be dropped.^[23][24]

The preferred stage 2 route was announced on 18 October 2017. The changes reported on by the media were confirmed. The redesigned route runs from either Rydalmere or Camellia to Sydney Olympic Park via Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point. No details about the project's cost or construction dates were announced. A final business case for stage 2 is scheduled to be completed in 2018.^[25]

Stage 1 (main route through Parramatta and branch to Carlingford)

The stage 1 route was announced on 17 February 2017. The stage 1 route runs between Westmead and Carlingford via North Parrramatta, the Parramatta CBD, Camellia, Rydalmere, Dundas and Telopea. It includes sixteen stops along a twelve kilometre route. The stops are:^[26][27]

Land has been purchased for a maintenance and stabling facility, to be located east of Rosehill Racecourse. Trams will access the facility via a short branch line that uses the alignment of the Sandown railway line.^[29][30]

An Environmental Impact Statement for stage 1 was released in August 2017.^[31] Planning approval was granted in May 2018.^[32]

In November 2017, a CPB Contractors/Downer Group joint venture and John Holland were shortlisted to build Stage 1. At the same time, three consortia were shortlisted to supply the rolling stock, maintain the infrastructure and operate the services:^[33][34]

• Connecting Parramatta: John Holland, Alstom and Deutsche Bahn
• Greater Parramatta: Downer Rail, Keolis Downer, Downer Group, Ansaldo and CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles
• Great River City Light Rail: Transdev Australasia, CAF and Laing O’Rourke

Construction is expected to begin in 2018, with the line expected to open in 2023. Work in Parramatta 'Eat Street' will not start until at least 2020.^[35][36][37] Services are expected to operate every 7.5 minutes throughout the day.^[22]

Stage 2 (branch to Sydney Olympic Park)

The second branch of the light rail continues east to Sydney Olympic Park.

There are two options being considered for the connection to the stage 1 route. The first option would utilise the Carlingford railway line (and stage 1) corridor over the Parramatta River to Rydalmere, where it would then branch. The second option would leave the main stage 1 route at Camellia and utilise the branch line built to provide access to the tram depot. It would continue via the Sandown railway line corridor and Grand Avenue, then cross the Parramatta River just east of Rydalmere ferry wharf. Both versions of the route then continue via Ermington and Melrose Park, cross back to the south of the Parramatta River, pass through Wentworth Point and terminate at Sydney Olympic Park. The stage 2 route is around nine kilometres long and will include ten to twelve stops.^[25][38]

The original plans for this branch followed a route similar to that taken by Grand Avenue through Camellia before crossing the Duck River, passing through Newington, crossing Haslams Creek, serving Sydney Olympic Park and terminating at the major transport hub of Strathfield.^[39]

Railway line closures

Camellia station on the Carlingford line. Most of the line will become part of the Parramatta Light Rail.

The northern branch to Carlingford will reuse most of the Carlingford railway line, which will be closed. The closure includes Rosehill railway station, located between Clyde and Camellia, which will not be served by the light rail project.^[39][40]

The Carlingford line is single track for most of its length, has shorter platforms than other lines in Sydney and has long been seen as under-utilised. Patronage declined from 446,000 journeys in 2001 to 260,000 journeys in 2014.^[41] 2016-17 patronage figures based on Opal tap on and off data recorded 511,000 journeys on the line during the year. This still places the line last among all train lines in the Opal network.^[42] Various modification schemes to revitalise the line had been proposed. Action for Transport 2010, a New South Wales Government plan released in 1998, included the Parramatta Rail Link; a heavy rail line from Parramatta to Chatswood that would have utilised the Carlingford line between Camellia and Carlingford. As part of the Rail Clearways Program announced in 2004, a passing loop was to have been built at Rydalmere, enabling a more frequent service.^[43][44] Neither scheme came to fruition.

The Sandown railway line will also close.^[40] This short freight line branches from the Carlingford line at Camellia and runs close to the southern bank of the Parramatta River. It became disused when trains from the Clyde Refinery ceased in June 2010.^[45] The line remains in place.

Potential extensions

As at February 2017, an extension from Carlingford to Epping was being investigated.^[22]