Sydney Harbour Rail Tunnel
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Other name(s) | Second Harbour Rail Crossing, Sydney Rapid Transit Tunnel |
| Location | Lower North Shore, Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) & Sydney Central Business District |
| Status | Proposed |
| System | Sydney Rapid Transit |
| Operation | |
| Owner | Transport for NSW |
| Technical | |
| No. of tracks | Double |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
The Sydney Harbour Rail Tunnel (Second Harbour Rail Crossing) is a proposed, double-track rapid transit line in Sydney, the largest city in the Australian state of New South Wales. The line would run under Port Jackson and through the Sydney Central Business District (CBD). The project would provide a second rail crossing between the North Shore and the CBD. The two areas are currently only connected by rail via a double track line across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The tunnel, once completed, would allow for trains on Sydney's rapid transit network to operate directly to the CBD, instead of terminating at Chatswood.[1] By shifting passengers to the new line, the second harbour crossing is expected to increase capacity on the Sydney Trains network by up to 60%. The line would allow for the movement of over 100 000 extra commuters across the network every hour.[2]
History
The proposal was officially announced by the NSW Government on 10 June 2014. The proposal is contingent on funding from privatising at least 49% of the state's power infrastructure.[3] Preliminary works involving drilling to depths 70m below Sydney Harbour commenced on 9 April 2015 to find the alignment for the new Sydney Rapid Transit railway tunnels.[2][4]
Design
The line would act as a major extension of Sydney's rapid transit network, connecting Chatswood - the terminus of rapid transit services - to Sydenham. At Sydenham, the line would join the existing Bankstown Line, which would be converted to rapid transit operation between Sydenham and Bankstown. Plans for the remaining stations served by the Bankstown Line - Erskineville, St Peters and stations between Bankstown, Lidcombe and Cabramatta - have not been revealed.
The following stations are proposed for the second harbour crossing:[1]
- St Leonards
- Victoria Cross (neighbouring North Sydney railway station)
- Martin Place (interchange with T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line)
- Pitt Street (neighbouring Town Hall railway station)
- Central (interchange with other railway and light rail lines)
- Sydney University or Waterloo[5]
- Sydenham (interchange with T4 Illawarra Line)
Consideration is also being given to a station at Barangaroo.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sydney Rapid Transit Fact Sheet, Transport for NSW, Retrieved 11 June 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Walker, Ian. "Construction begins on second Sydney Harbour rail crossing". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ↑ Gerathy, Sarah; Foschia, Liz (11 June 2014). "Sydney rapid transit rail build could begin in three years, NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian says". Retrieved 11 June 2014.
- ↑ Getting down to business: Early work begins on Sydney Rapid Transit Transport for NSW 8 April 2015
- ↑ Saulwick, Jacob (12 October 2014). "Jockeying begins over new train stations for Sydney University or Waterloo". Retrieved 14 October 2014.
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