The upcoming conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line into a modern Metro line will be supported by an extensive transport plan, including Southwest Link, a high-frequency bus service between Sydenham and Bankstown stations.
Converting the existing T3 Line, which is more than a century old, will be a difficult process for the community and take up to 12 months.
When the conversion is complete in 2025, passengers will have access to a 21st century high-tech metro line with a train every 4 minutes during the peak, along with fully accessible stations and services.
Southwest Link will form part of an integrated transport plan for Southwest Sydney, which brings together around 100 dedicated and existing local bus services, rail services, light rail, active transport and the new City Metro service from Sydenham station.
Key features of Southwest Link include:
- Three dedicated bus routes known as SW1, SW2 and SW3 to provide thousands of services along the T3 line;
- Frequent services from early morning until late night seven days a week, with a bus every two to four minutes in peak periods;
- A mix of all stops and limited stops services to ensure commuters and local passengers have reliable public transport options;
- Easily recognisable services, with plenty of signage and ground staff to support.
Other features of the transport plan include:
- Sydney's new rail network, with changes to the Sydney Trains timetable between Sydenham and Bankstown to support the conversion now and into the future
- Amended T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line - providing a direct rail service to the Sydney CBD from Liverpool via Lidcombe Station, including Berala, Regents Park, Sefton, Chester Hill, Leightonfield, Villawood and Carramar Stations
- New T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown service - providing dedicated train services between Bankstown and Lidcombe, including Yagoona, Birrong, Regents Park and Berala, with connections T3 Liverpool and Inner West Line at Regents Park
- Changes to rail services at Erskineville and St Peters Stations, where passengers will be serviced by the T8 Airport and South line
- Working with councils to provide better walking and cycling links to support passengers, particularly for shorter local journeys that offer connections to public transport hubs.
Southwest Link bus routes:
- SW1 - Sydenham to Bankstown (All Stops)
- Sydenham, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba,Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown, and return.
- SW2 - Sydenham to Bankstown (Limited Stops)
- Sydenham, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown, and return
- SW3 - Sydenham to Campsie (Limited Stops)
- Sydenham, Canterbury and Campsie, and return
Transit Systems will provide the bulk of the Southwest Link rail replacement bus services after being awarded the contract earlier this year.
Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:
"This is going to be a disruptive 12 months for the people of Canterbury Bankstown and for the Inner West but there is light at the end of the tunnel. When this section of the metro is complete, they will get a train every four minutes. That's a massive increase in train services, because right now there are stations on the T3 Line that only receive four trains an hour in the peak.
"Communities that rely on the T3 line are going to have a tough time, that's why we've worked to deliver as many alternative public transport services as possible, including high frequency Southwest Link bus services with multiple routes.
"We're also looking out for passengers in the West to help them through this tough 12-month conversion. Bankstown will get a new T6 Train service to Lidcombe and there will be a direct train service from Liverpool to the City via Lidcombe, Berala and Regent's Park."
Transport for NSW Coordinator General Howard Collins said:
"Southwest Link is about making sure passengers can get to where they need to go during the final Metro conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line. We are making sure that there is a variety of bus services that deliver for the communities that rely on the T3 line. This is not an ordinary rail replacement service.
"Transport for NSW and Sydney Metro have spent months planning an integrated transport plan for the southwest, so passengers will be able to decide which mode, route and service works best for them.
"Over the next few months, next steps include continuing to engage with the community and impacted hospitals, schools and universities, distributing information brochures in multiple languages and updating our systems for personalised trip planning tools and third-party apps."
