Parramatta Light Rail
TP
Geoff Olsen
Well, I don’t suppose that any of that was predictable…..
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Tony Galloway
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Tony Galloway
On 22 Aug 2024, at 19:59, 'TP' via TramsDownUnder <tramsdo...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Opening delayed till the end of year. Issues with power supply, doors and Opal readers.Tony P
TP
TP
Following off a two-week delay to the Sydney Metro City line, the new light rail in Sydney’s west will also be pushed back.
The launch of the blighted Parramatta Light Rail will be delayed until the end of 2024, in the latest embarrassing blow to strike the Minns Government’s rollout of major projects.
The $2.875 billion mega-project – originally meant to begin services in late 2023 – has been pushed back after testing revealed major issues including power supply problems to trams, software glitches with Opal card payments, and blowouts in times spent stopped at stations.
The announcement follows the NSW Government missing its much-heralded targeted opening of the new Metro City line, which finally launched Monday – two weeks after its original ribbon-cutting date slated for August 4 after the final stages of the project were blighted by industrial action from the firefighters’ union.
The Minns Government had targeted a “mid year” opening for the light rail.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said testing on the Parramatta Light Rail was “ironing out the kinks in the system and we want to get this service right before we open it”.
“The testing process has identified some issues for the contractor and Transport for NSW to fix which is the whole point of the process,” she said.
“One of the lessons we have learnt from the launch of the CBD and Eastern Suburbs Light Rail is that we do not want to be using passengers as guinea pigs. When we open we want to deliver a service which runs to timetable and is reliable.”
“We have made substantial progress doing testing and commissioning of this light rail line but there is a bit more work to do.”
Internal Transport NSW documents seen by The Daily Telegraph – with indicative opening dates for other major projects – show August 18 was a suggested opening date for the light rail.
It also shows other key dates – which are understood not to be endorsed by the government – which could be missed, including the introduction of the New Intercity Fleet.
The fleet, which recently hit a five-year milestone of delays following years of union pushback on the new trains, is slated to enter service on September 16 in the documents.
Trams for the Parramatta Light Rail were built by Spanish firm CAF, who also supplied trams for the Inner West Light Rail.
Once opened, the Parramatta rail will be able to carry 300 passengers in a single vehicle in a line running from Westmead to Carlingford via 16 new stops.
It’s the latest setback for the Parramatta Light Rail, which has also blown out by more than $470 million in cost.
Then-transport Minister David Elliott announced in 2022 the opening of the project would be pushed back to May 2024, six months beyond an original launch target of late 2023, with that date revised to a “mid year” 2024 opening by the Minns Government.
Matthew Geier
> Yeah, the problem with the power supply is obvious - two long gaps in
> the overhead wire…..
Westmead. I guess they will have to turn the air-conditioning off at
Ngara to save power for the climb up to Westmead. :-)
Still can't fathom why Hawksbury road doesn't have overhead - not as if
there is any classic architecture that would be 'visually ruined' by
overhead and extra poles to hold it. CAF just wanted to show off and
find an excuse to sell TfNSW a proprietary ground charger.
TP
Tony Galloway
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TP
With safety issues and learning drivers delaying the Parramatta Light Rail indefinitely, small businesses are asking the state government to “help us”.
Rookie drivers have stalled the opening of the Parramatta Light Rail, with current test journeys four minutes off the required pace.
It comes as small businesses on Church Street struggle to keep their doors open, demanding “help” from the State Government to survive.
The speed between stations on the entire route, from Carlingford to Westmead, are lagging behind Transport for NSW’s requirements for the $2.875bn project.
There were 53 light rail operators recruited earlier this year, from more than 600 candidates, with 80 per cent of them first time drivers.
It’s understood those speeds will improve as the new drivers improve their confidence and continue practicing the journey.
On Friday the new light rail was seen regularly passing through Church Street, with carriages loaded with heavy sandbags to replicate the weight of passengers.
Other issues identified during testing include power supply problems and software glitches. Despite promises for the service to be up and running by mid-2024, it has now been delayed indefinitely.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen told The Daily Telegraph “our new drivers will keep working to become more familiar with the route. Transport for NSW and the contractor are working to fix the issues that we have found during testing. We are not far off.”
Work began on the Parramatta Light Rail in 2019, which construction turning the popular Church Street into a ghost town.
Small businesses claim their trade has regularly been down by 50 per cent over the past five years. In the same time period, much of the local street parking has vanished.
Anthony, who has owned Lichaa Menswear and Formal Hire, said he had given up “making a quid” and was “just trying to survive.”
“It’s been the worst five years we’ve had in 27 years of business. They have let us down. They don’t give us any compensation. We have a lot of late bills. Rent is way behind, we are just lucky our landlord has been patient with us.”
Surplus City owner Eric, who is also on Church Street, called on the state government to “help.”
“Help us. Give us something to pull through until it all pans out. It’s been delay, delay, delay. Before construction, on weekends you couldn’t move here. You can see places are closing. We need help.”
Despite being a State Government project, the future of the light rail has become a key issue at the upcoming local government elections
Parramatta Lord Mayor Pierre Esber said he “felt for the small businesses” but he would “rather have these delays now than later on.”
“It is frustrating... people are telling me about this every day. But we have to get it right. Just imagine if we opened it and three months later it had to shut down.”
Tanya Raffoul, Liberal candidate for Dundas Ward said the delay “isn’t just a setback, it’s a crushing blow. The NSW Labor Government’s latest delay is proof they can’t deliver on infrastructure.”
Independent candidate for Rosehill Ward Lee Malkoun added “our city has been held crippled by the state government and its contractors long enough. I wouldn’t be surprised if the light rail doesn’t open until 2025.”
Greg Sutherland
and sinker but gee they got some snappy PR at the time which would have
impressed the Minister. But know in the rel world the crows are coming
home to roost.