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New Sydney Metro - Western Sydney Airport line takes off

22.12.2021

An on the ground view of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Mabel breaking through at Blues Point tunnel access site on the edge of Sydney Harbour. An on the ground view of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Mabel breaking through at Blues Point tunnel access site on the edge of Sydney Harbour.

Major works are set to commence on the new Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport metro line after a $1.8 billion contract was awarded to CPB Contractors and Ghella to build the new twin metro rail tunnels.

The first of four mega tunnel boring machines will be in the ground by early 2023 to deliver 9.8 kilometres of twin metro rail tunnels in two sections, under the first major contract to be awarded as part of the project.

The driverless 23-kilometre metro line will link St Marys to the centre of the new Aerotropolis via the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, with six stations to be built along the alignment.

The Station Boxes and Tunnelling contract includes:

  • 9.8 kilometres of twin rail tunnels in two sections. The 4.3-kilometre northern tunnels run from St Marys to Orchard Hills and the 5.5-kilometre southern section of tunnels runs between the Airport Business Park and the Aerotropolis Station;
  • Excavation and civil works for new stations at St Marys, Orchard Hills, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, and Aerotropolis;
  • Four hard rock Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM);
  • Building one of the two temporary precast concrete factories for the project on the Western Sydney International site;
  • More than 67,000 concrete segments to line the twin tunnels;
  • Two TBM launch sites at Orchard Hills and Western Sydney International and two TBM retrieval sites at St Marys and Aerotropolis Station.

Once the tunnelling contract is complete in late 2024, work will continue to lay tracks and fit out stations.

The Australian and NSW governments are jointly delivering the 23-kilometre metro railway and six stations between St Marys and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, including two stations at the airport.

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