The NSW Government has appointed a chief executive for the Sydney Metro authority, the entity delivering new rail lines and stations in Sydney’s northwest, CBD, southwest and west.
Jon Lamonte, currently chief executive of Transport for Greater Manchester, will begin as Sydney Metro CEO later this year.
Sydney Metro is an operating agency established via legislation by the NSW Government in July. Part of the NSW Transport cluster, it’s tasked with working across government to lead the delivery of Sydney Metro Northwest, Sydney Metro CBD & Southwest, Sydney Metro West, and the future rail line to Western Sydney Airport.
“As the Chief Executive of Sydney Metro, Jon will be responsible for delivering a world-class metro railway service for customers,” state transport minister Andrew Constance said.
“Jon’s experience leading customer-focused organisations in infrastructure delivery, and the management of complex multimodal transport systems run by private operators, makes him ideally suited to lead Sydney Metro.”
As the CEO of Transport for Greater Manchester since 2013, Lamonte has been responsible for delivering the UK’s largest transport capital program outside of London.
This has included expansion of the public transport network, smart ticketing solutions and a range of new interchanges.
Lamonte was previously CEO of Tube Lines, a Private Public Partnership company responsible for the upgrading of three lines on the London Underground.
Before working in transport, Lamonte was in the Royal Air Force (RAF), attaining the rank of Vice-Air Marshal.
“During his military service, Jon was in charge of the largest RAF base in the UK with his responsibilities including operations, aircraft fleet and training, in addition to developing a 10 year capital investment program in equipment and infrastructure and leading strategic reviews of the Royal Navy,” Constance said.
Sydney Metro Northwest opens in the second quarter of 2019.
Sydney Metro CBD & Southwest will then extend this line into the CBD and beyond to Bankstown, thus creating a 66-kilometre line with 31 new stations, to be opened in 2024.
Sydney Metro West will link the Sydney CBD and Parramatta CBD with another new rail line.
And the railway to service the future Western Sydney Airport will also fall under the Sydney Metro delivery authority.