The first month of operation of the new North West Metro has seen more than 1.8 million journeys completed with a noticeable impact on roads and the existing rail network.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian hailed the North West Metro as an “incredible success” with an average of 65,000 journeys on weekdays.
Ms Berejiklian said the new Metro line was taking people off motorways, buses and the existing rail network.
“Over the past month 20,000 fewer cars used the M2 compared to the same time last year and up to a 20 per cent fall in usage at key stations on the T1 Western Line,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“It is just a taste of what is to come.”
She said delivery of the next stage was under way with Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Kathleen expected to start digging the second Harbour rail crossing next month.
Minister for Transport, Andrew Constance said that not since Bradfield delivered the Sydney Harbour Bridge almost a century ago had there been a vision for public transport on the scale of Sydney Metro.
“This is the next stage of Sydney Metro which will deliver a turn-up-and-go Metro service stretching 66 kilometres from Rouse Hill in the North West to Bankstown in the South West and the CBD in between,”Mr Constance said.
He said TBM Kathleen would start digging the first of twin one-kilometre tunnels, 40 metres below the Harbour at its deepest, joining the four borers currently digging from Marrickville and Chatswood towards the harbour’s edge.
