Originally budgeted for $319m and promised to open in 2009, the Southern Sydney Freight Line is finally open at a cost of $1b, allowing container trains 24-hour access to Port Botany and unhindered passage for Brisbane-Melbourne freight trains through Sydney’s south an inner west.
The new 36 kilometre Southern Sydney Freight Line has commenced operations, a $1 billion piece of infrastructure that will speed up the movement of trains through Sydney and improve the overall competitiveness and reliability of the interstate rail freight network.
Sydney has been the single largest bottleneck on the interstate rail network, with freight trains facing frustrating delays getting into and out of the city due to its limited track capacity and the priority given to passenger trains, particularly during peak periods.
The new line between Macarthur and Chullora will allow passenger and freight services to operate separately from one another, thereby more than tripling the capacity of the rail corridor.
The line complements the work now underway upgrading the rail corridor through the city’s northern suburbs to Newcastle (the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor) as well as the line to Port Botany. It will also support the development of the new intermodal proposed to be built at Moorebank.
ARTC CEO John Fullerton said the South Sydney Freight Line will deliver significant benefits to the national and state economy by providing for a more efficient rail network and supporting the growing freight task between Brisbane and Melbourne.
“The SSFL is the single biggest project ARTC has ever delivered and is part of our record $3 billion capital works program which is making the Melbourne to Brisbane freight route an even more attractive option for Australian businesses.
ARTC is looking forward to delivering the benefits of this investment program to our customers later in the year, and providing a faster, more reliable transit between Melbourne and Brisbane.
“The Sydney rail network has always been a major bottleneck for freight. That’s why the opening of the SSFL is such an important milestone for ARTC, our customers and the future of rail freight along Australia’s east seaboard.”
The SSFL project was funded by ARTC, with the final stage delivered in partnership with Leighton Contractors.
In partnership with RailCorp, the project also improved access to Leumeah, Minto, Cabramatta, Sefton, Warwick Farm and Casula train stations through the provision of lifts, pedestrian overbridges and wheelchair ramps. They also received new or improved amenities such as car parks, bus shelters, lighting, awnings, ramps, footpaths and cycling paths.
Rail industry welcomes new line
Rail stands ready to take more freight off Sydney’s roads following the commencement of the new Southern Sydney Freight Line.
Funded by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), the new dedicated freight line will alleviate a major bottleneck in the rail freight network of southern Sydney, where freight trains currently share existing lines with Sydney passenger rail services.
“This new 36km dedicated freight line will clear the way for increased freight efficiencies and decreased congestion in Sydney’s south, with flow-on benefits for the entire network” said Australasian Railway Association (ARA) CEO Bryan Nye.
The Southern Sydney Freight Line will provide a third track in the rail corridor specifically for freight services, allowing passenger and freight services to operate independently.
“The ARA congratulates the Federal Government and the ARTC on the completion of this four year, $1 billion project which will be a real shot in the arm for Sydney’s productivity, and the next train out of the station is the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor project” continued Mr Nye.
The average freight train takes 110 trucks off the road, reduces carbon emissions by a factor of 10, dramatically increases road safety and is the most efficient mode of transport for journeys over 500 kilometres.
“Clearly, a continual investment in rail freight is needed so that our cities can remain healthy and productive into the future,” Mr Nye concluded.
