Sydney's Rail Future - 4 Options
In April 2012, Transport for NSW prepared a briefing for Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian with 4 options for Sydney's Rail Future featuring Rapid Transit (Sydney Metro) and the different property development opportunities (greenfields/brownfields) along potential Sydney Metro lines.
The adopted option was C - Growth including Sydenham to Bankstown Metro but the branch line to Hurstville was cancelled by the NSW Government in 2016.
The Option D - Independent Network was overlooked (for Sydney Metro to continue south of Sydenham to areas currently without rail access without converting the T3 Bankstown Line). It is still feasible for Option D - Independent Network to be implmented as track conversion of Sydenham to Bankstown has not started.
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Colourised Trace Map for Option D - Independent Network
The T3 Bankstown Line could have direct services to City Circle and the West of Bankstown could have direct services on the T2 Inner West Line (Liverpool/Bankstown to City via Regents Park) were Sydney Metro to continue to new areas currently without rail in Southern Sydney.
Transport for NSW Documents obtained under Government Information (Public Access) GIPA Act 2009.
The maps (below) were included as part of a "Long Term Rail Strategy (LTRS) Presentation made for Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian dated 20 April 2012.
The NSW Government officially announced Sydney's Rail Future in June 2012 with a Three Tier Network including Rapid Transit (Metro) based on Option C - Growth.
The NSW Government decision to deliver the North West Rail Link as standalone rapid transit Sydney Metro has been motivated by property development opportunities instead of an interest in supporting an integrated public transport system.
It appears that Transport for NSW briefed then Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian in April 2012 about brownfields development sites along the Bankstown Line before the NSW Government decided to announce Sydney Rapid Transit in the North West and extend it to the Bankstown Line.
Sydney Rapid Transit is now known as Sydney Metro, and from these documents it appears that property development opportunities played a substantial role in impacting on Sydney's Rail Future which was announced in June 2012.
Property development along the Bankstown Line has been subject to recent investigations by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.