The West of Bankstown area was serviced by 2 direct train lines to City Circle until October 2013.
In 2013, the Sydney Trains Network timetable removed regular services through Lidcombe from the West of Bankstown area and Sydney Olympic Park.
The removal of the Bankstown to City via Regents Park/Lidcombe, Liverpool to City via Regents Park (T2 Inner West Line), and Olympic Park to Central services signicantly increased the number of forced interchanges at Lidcombe Station.
Transport for NSW has no evidence that terminating the T3 Bankstown Line at Lidcombe and removing direct trains from West of Bankstown to City Circle via Regents Park in 2013 has improved reliability on the Sydney Trains Network.
Nearly a decade’s worth of freedom of information (GIPA Act) requests has failed to yield any information.
The original Sydney Metro Southwest project (announced in 2012 as part of the NSW Government "Sydney's Rail Future" strategy) was the conversion of the (near) entire T3 Bankstown Line to Lidccombe and Cabramatta, not just the Sydenham to Bankstown corridor.
Berala, Regents Park, Sefton, Chester Hill, Leightonfield, Villawood, Carramar, Birrong, and Yagoona were initially earmarked to be converted into Sydney Metro Southwest, hence the necessity of first terminating trains at Lidcombe in 2013 as preparation for Sydney Metro.
Transport for NSW also has plans to terminate the T3 Bankstown Line as an underground platform at Cabramatta as part of "Sydney's Rail Future" and the Three Tier Network (including Rapid Transit/Sydney Metro).
However in 2014, planning for Sydney Metro Southwest had changed the conversion of the T3 Bankstown Line to just Sydenham to Bankstown, with a Cabramatta terminus no longer to be implemented but no steps to reverse the termination of trains at Lidcombe were undertaken.
In 2017, the Sydney Trains Network timetable was again changed with the T2 Inner West Line extending from Homebush to Parramatta, despite Transport for NSW claiming in 2013 that there was insufficient capacity around Lidcombe.
The future of rail services in the West of Bankstown area remains uncertain as a result of Sydney Metro Southwest and also the NSW Future Transport Strategy, with internal Transport for NSW plans indicating a likelihood of bus replacing trains and the closure of stations.
In 2020, Transport for NSW announced "planning" for future rail services for West of Bankstown, however as of 2023, no draft timetable has been produced nor has Transport for NSW indicated its committement to direct trains to City Circle for all stations in the West of Bankstown area per the recommendation of the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry into Sydenham to Bankstown line conversion.
Transport for NSW has also released more documents indicating long-term planning to close the stations in the West of Bankstown area.
The West of Bankstown area was formely serviced by 2 direct train lines to City Circle, but up to 19,000 commuters will soon be serviced by buses and 0 trains to Central.
It is time for Transport for NSW to end forced interchange at Lidcombe Station and reverse the changes to the T3 Bankstown Line arising from the implementation of Sydney Metro Southwest.
Please sign and share the petition to Save T3 Bankstown Line at www.SaveT3.org