South West Rail Link Project, Australia

The South West Rail Link Project (SWRL) is a rail-expansion programme under construction in Sydney, New South Wales. The project intends to address issues of reliability and passenger growth on the metropolitan rail network. It is being delivered by Transport Construction Authority (TCA), a New South Wales Government agency.

The $2.1bn project is currently the largest metropolitan rail project under construction in the state. It includes the laying of a new 13.1km-long twin track between Glenfield and Leppington, construction of new stations and car parking areas at Edmondson Park and Leppington, and a stabling facility west of Leppington at Rossmore.

It also includes major rail works at the Glenfield rail junction and an upgrade of Glenfield station to provide bus/rail interchange facilities including lift access along with space for commuter car parking via construction of a multi-storey commuter car park and ground level commuter car park.

As part of the rail works at Glenfield, rail flyovers are being constructed to the north and south of Glenfield station to link the new line into the existing rail network and to remove existing constraints, increase capacity and service reliability for commuters across the region.

The SWRL will improve rail access for people in south-west Sydney by providing direct links to major employment centres at Liverpool, Parramatta and the Central Business District (CBD) of Sydney while providing essential transportation infrastructure for the predicted population increase in the south-west region. The new rail line between Glenfield and Leppington will be connected to the existing Main South Line to the south of Glenfield station. The SWRL works at Glenfield were approved in March 2009 and broke ground in August that year.

The final planning approval for the new line component of the project between Glenfield and Leppington was received in November 2010. The line is expected to open for passengers in 2016.

Infrastructure

The new Leppington station will have lifts, a street-level concourse and parking space for 850 cars. Edmondson Park station will have 400 commuter car parking bays and a street-level concourse.

The Glenfield station upgrade includes construction of a fourth platform, an upgrade of the rail/bus interchange, a new station concourse, lifts and realignment of Railway Parade.

The Glenfield multi-storey commuter car park provides space for approximately 700 cars and includes facilities such as parking for unlimited time, lifts, CCTV and security lighting.

The Rossmore stabling facility will provide parking facilities for up to 20 eight-car train sets.

Rolling stock

The rail line will be integrated with the existing CityRail Sydney metropolitan rail network. CityRail rolling stock includes Millenium, Waratah and the older double-deck suburban trains.

Contracts

The Glenfield Junction Alliance is undertaking the Glenfield Transport Interchange works, including construction of the northern and southern flyovers and the upgrade of Glenfield Station and rail/bus interchange. It's led by the TCA in partnership with Parsons Brinckerhoff, MacMahon Contractors, Bouygues Travaux Publics and MVM Rail.

Tenix is constructing the Glenfield electrical substation.

John Holland was awarded the design and construction contract for the new rail line component of the project between Glenfield and Leppington in December 2010.

Glenfield Commuter Car Park was completed by St Hilliers.

Construction update

While the construction of Glenfield station continues to progress, construction of the multi-storey car parking building at Glenfield was complete and opened to public in September 2010.

The Seddon Park, Glenfield, commuter car park has been completed and opened in October 2009. The extended car parking provides 112 free unlimited commuter parking spaces.

Construction of the northern and southern flyovers commenced in June 2010.

The northern flyover will separate the East Hills and the South Lines, and the southern flyover will connect the new rail line with the existing rail network.

Other works underway are construction of a new power substation, re-alignment of Roy Watts Road and track-laying works. The first rail track was laid in May 2011.