Sydney Metro project director Rodd Staples has been named the new secretary of Transport for NSW.
A former Arup engineer, Staples has worked in various roles for NSW Government’s transport group since 2005, and has been the project director for the Sydney Metro project since it was launched as North West Rail Link in 2011.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Staples had a long and distinguished career in both the public and private sectors, specialising in delivering customer outcomes and value for money.
“I’ve witnessed Rodd leading complex projects at very close range, first as transport minister and then as treasurer and premier,” Berejiklian said, “and I have always been impressed by his command of the detail alongside his focus on the big picture.”
The premier said she was impressed with the state of the Sydney Metro project so far.
“The fact that Metro Northwest is being delivered on time and on budget and that Metro City & Southwest is already underway is testament to his extraordinary leadership and strong record of delivery,” Berejiklian said.
Staples will take on the new role in January.
State transport minister Andrew Constance said he had “enormous confidence” in the expertise of Staples, who holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business (Finance) from the University of Technology, Sydney.
“He is a 21st century Bradfield,” Constance said, referring to engineer John Bradfield, the early 20th-century architect of Sydney’s underground railway network, as well as the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
“[Staples] is incredibly well respected across the Government and amongst our private sector partners,” Constance said.
Andrew Constance endorsement is hardly a positive. Mr Ferry McFerry Face , and his dismissal of valid concerns from the George Street retailers over the light rail construction, problems is an indication he is out of touch. But, the Metro is a project that is constrained by politics, and too many decisions have been made which will burn later. Making the NW rail tunnels slightly too small for double deck trains, reworking the Epping to Chastwood line to Metro, and the future multi-year shutdown of the Bankstown line to rework the alignment of the platforms is all political, not technical, or good design. I am sure Robb Staples is a fine administrator, and I wish him the best in his new Secretary roile
Rodd Staples legacy will depend upon the acceptance of his metro plans by the travelling public once it is operating, including the disruption created in converting existing lines. It’s a bit too early yet to elevate him to the same status as the esteemed Dr Bradfield. That’s a big ask and in fact an insult to the great man to even make that comparison. It will depend upon whether the direction of Sydney’s rail network planning is at his instigation or dictated to him by his political masters.
The thing that really sticks in my craw is the secretiveness by this government for a lot of the planning for the expansion of the rail network, especially for the North West Rail Link, where the metro option was presented as a fait accompli, without any alternative such as integrating with the existing network being considered. The community consultation process was a farce, despite overwhelming opposition to the metro proposal. That and the consequences of compromising operations of the Sydney Trains network by confiscating some of its lines, will ultimately determine whether he deserves any praise. It’s not just about DD v SD.
His appointment as Secretary of Transport for NSW does seem to be more politically motivated than usual (I accept most are to some degree), when he appears to have leap frogged several more experienced public servants above him in the process. My major concern is whether he will take an objective view in future rail network planning, favouring continuing conversion of existing lines to metro, when upgrading them may be the better option, particularly from the point of view of avoiding disruption with lengthy shutdowns and compromising existing operations.