Commuters in Sydney’s south-west will experience extended delays on the T3 train line, with the completion of essential upgrades now pushed to 2026. Transport Minister John Graham indicated that the complex nature of the project, compounded by recent industrial action, has led to these disruptions.
The state government revealed that over 130 days of work were hindered due to strikes, resulting in significant setbacks to the project timeline. Since the line’s closure last year, approximately 60,000 commuters have been relying on bus services between Bankstown and Sydenham daily.
Future disruptions are anticipated as testing of the new driverless metro trains is set to commence, following approval from the National Rail Safety Regulator. The government has acknowledged the frustration felt by passengers during this time and apologised for the inconvenience.
The industrial actions have notably affected critical aspects of the project, such as rewiring, electrification, track enhancements, and necessary platform extensions at Bankstown Station, further contributing to the project’s delays. These improvements are part of a major initiative to revamp the 130-year-old train line connecting Sydenham and Bankstown.
Once completed, the metro line will dramatically reduce travel times, enabling journeys from Bankstown to Central in just 28 minutes. Other routes, including from Marrickville to Macquarie University, will take approximately 36 minutes, while travel from Dulwich Hill to Victoria Cross in North Sydney will be completed in just 21 minutes.