May 27, 2019 Save T3 Bankstown Line

FAQ

Save T3 Bankstown Line FAQ: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the T3 Bankstown Line?

The T3 Bankstown Line is a heavy rail line from City Circle to Lidcombe and Liverpool via Bankstown, currently serviced by double-deck trains. However, the section from Sydenham to Bankstown has been selected for conversion to Sydney Metro Southwest with single deck trains. Sydney Metro will have a station at Central then Waterloo then Sydenham (bypassing Redfern, Erskineville, St Peters).

T3 Bankstown Line (since 2013): City Circle to Lidcombe/Liverpool via Bankstown (with express trains from Liverpool to City)

T3 Bankstown Line after Sydney Metro Southwest: T3 Bankstown to Lidcombe/Liverpool. Sydney Metro: Sydenham to Bankstown. City Circle and other stations replaced by T8 South Line

2. What is “Save T3 Bankstown Line”?

The Save T3 Bankstown Line community action group is seeking an upgrade of heavy rail signalling (to allow for 20 trains per hour/a train every 3 minutes) instead of converting Sydenham to Bankstown into Metro.

3. Why oppose the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro?

For 9 stations west of Bankstown, Metro removes the final direct train to City Circle (Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St James, Museum) and other stations such as Redfern, Erskineville, St Peters. Metro also has significantly less seating and is not suited for long/suburban journeys outside City centres.

4. What are the 9 stations west of Bankstown adversely affected by the Metro?

Berala, Regents Park, Sefton, Chester Hill, Leightonfield, Villawood, Carramar, Birrong, Yagoona

5. How will commuters from the 9 stations west of Bankstown reach the City Circle and other stations?

Catch a train to Bankstown, then interchange for Metro to Sydenham or Central, then interchange for another train…

Travel times will also increase resulting from the added interchanges between trains and Metro

1 Direct Train to become 3 Separate Trains. For example: Chester Hill to Circular Quay 1. Chester Hill to Bankstown (INTERCHANGE FOR METRO) 2. Bankstown to Sydenham (INTERCHANGE FOR T8 South Line) 3. Sydenham to Circular Quay

NB: Commuters from within the Sydenham to Bankstown corridor (e.g. Canterbury) will also have increased interchange when travelling to Lidcombe/Liverpool and the 9 stations west of Bankstown along with City Circle and Redfern, Erskineville, St Peters.

6. How many additional commuters will have to interchange every day?

At least 19,000 commuters (from the 9 stations west of Bankstown) will have to interchange every day for the first time in the history of the train network. Former Sydney rail executives (John Brew, Ron Christie, Bob O’Loughlin and Dick Day) have also warned that removal of heavy rail on the Bankstown Line will cause significant disruption and a reduction in reliability to the network.

7. What will happen during construction of the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro?

Buses will replace trains from Lidcombe to Sydenham, and Sefton on the Bankstown Line. The T3 Line will be shut down, and trains will not run for extended periods of times which increases traffic congestion on local roads

Although the final Temporary Transport Plan for the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro has not been released, the Environmental Impact Statement states that buses will replace trains from Lidcombe/Sefton to Sydenham. The Metro project will also increase overcrowding on the T1 Western Line, T2 Inner West/Leppington Line, T8 Airport/South Line and at Lidcombe, Strathfield, Ashfield, Cabramatta, Revesby, Panania, East Hills stations with additional Bankstown Line commuters boarding for direct services to City Circle.

8. “But there are new Metro stations in the City at Pitt St, Martin Place and Barangaroo…”

Commuters already have increased travel times from having to interchange at Bankstown and Sydenham/Central, and now commuters will also have to walk up to an extra 8km per week because of the loss of access to City Circle… (Martin Place Metro station is 800m from Circular Quay)

9. What does the community think about Sydenham to Bankstown Metro (Southwest)?

Over 90% of community submissions oppose the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro. The strongest opposition is from stations west of Bankstown, due to the loss of the direct train to City Circle.

10. What can you do to help “Save T3 Bankstown Line”?

  • Sign the Petition to Save T3 Bankstown Line at SaveT3.org
  • Write to your local Member of Parliament and the Transport Minister about the need to Save T3
  • Like “Save T3 Bankstown Line” on Facebook and follow on Twitter/Instagram
  • Spread the word in your local community (printed flyers are available on request)
  • Donate to our investigative research into transport planning