Finally! Sydney’s very delayed light rail will launch this year – but only part of the service will be ready in time
- Trams will carry passengers from Randwick to Circular Quay from December
- The full project – including line to Kingsford – is set to be finished by March 2020
- The Light Rail project was originally due to be completed by March last year
Already delayed by 12 months, Sydney’s controversial light rail project is finally set to be opened this December.
But in news which won’t surprise scores of already frustrated commuters in the Harbour City, it will only carry passengers from Randwick to Circular Quay.
The branch line to Kingsford along Anzac Parade is a long way from completion – early agency reports have hinted work could continue until March of 2020.
The Sydney light rail, from the CBD to the eastern suburbs, has been plagued by delays after work began in 2015
Workers on George St in Sydney’s CBD working on the light rail project, which has cost an estimated $2.1 billion
It is understood the project, from Sydney’s CBD to eastern suburbs, has cost $2.1 billion. The original budget was $1.6 billion when major work commenced in October of 2015.
Under the original time frame, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was meant to cut the ribbon on the completed project ahead of the state election on Saturday, March 23.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said it was in discussions with ALTRAC — the consortium who build and run the project — to accelerate the opening of light rail.
‘(Transport) believes the project can be delivered by March 2020, and continues to discuss with ALTRAC opportunities to bring it forward to 2019, including opening the line from Circular Quay to Randwick in December,’ she told the Southern Courier.
‘Good progress was made on the civil construction last year and the beginning of this year.’
Daily Mail Australia understands tram testing is already underway and Transdev, who will operate the trams, have actively started recruiting drivers.
Confirmation of the Sydney light rail being relatively close to completion will be music to the ears of many.
George St in Sydney’s CBD has virtually been closed down as construction on the light rail continues
A light rail train departing from Central Station in Sydney heading to Dulwich Hill
Earlier this year, 110 businesses and residents were said to have launched a class-action lawsuit against Transport for NSW seeking a combined $400 million in compensation.
Lawyers have since claimed the compensation is for ‘economic and psychological trauma.’
When complete, services are tipped to run every four minutes in peak hours in Sydney’s CBD and every eight minutes to and from Randwick and Kingsford.