Two contracts together worth over $300 million have been awarded for upgrades to prepare the Bankstown line for the arrival of Metro services.
A joint venture of John Holland and Laing O’Rouke will upgrade sections of track, including 15 bridges that cross over or under the railway, improvements to retaining walls, culverts, and track, fencing and freight segregation, new track crossovers, overhead wiring, and utility modifications.
In another contract, Downer EDI Works will upgrade Hurlstone Park, Belmore and Wiley Park stations to meet Metro standards. This includes no-step level access, lifts at Hurlstone Park and Wiley Park, accessible toilets, service buildings and cabling, security fencing adjacent to the station, and upgrades to amenities such as toilets and interchange facilities.
The contract for station upgrades also include preparation of the platforms for the installation of platform screen doors.
A Sydney Metro spokesperson said the work would ensure that the line is able to be used by all.
“Sydney Metro is Australia’s only fully accessible railway. The upgrade of the stations between Sydenham and Bankstown to modern Sydney Metro standards will deliver level access between platforms and trains and platform screen doors for safety and increased security.”
Construction is being staged to enable services on the Bankstown Line to continue during the majority of construction, with the next period of major upgrade work to occurring during the June/July school holidays when there are fewer passengers on the rail network. A closure will occur from June 28, 2021 to July 11, 2021.
“Some work needs to occur during rail possession (shutdown) periods, including the routine weekend rail possessions scheduled by Sydney Trains,” said the Sydney Metro spokesperson.
The contracts follow an earlier contract for the upgrade of Canterbury, Marrickville, and Lakemba stations. A contract to cover Campsie, Dulwich Hill, and Punchbowl stations is yet to be awarded. Further contracts are expected in 2021.
Once complete, frequencies will significantly increase along the line.
“Stations like Hurlstone Park, Canterbury and Wiley Park will have almost four times as many trains as they get now,” said the spokesperson.