Thousands of Sydney commuters are set to receive free bus fares as the NSW government grapples with the closing of a major train line.
The T3 Bankstown line is set to close from September 30 for upgrade work, eventually forming the South West Metro network to stretch from the city’s North Shore at Chatswood to Bankstown.
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The closure is expected to remain in place until late 2025, with concerns it may even stretch beyond the initially forecast 12 months.
People living in Western Sydney are expected to have increased commute times, having to travel on replacement buses.
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen says the closure would be a “disruptive” and “inconvenient” time for people travelling between Bankstown and Sydenham.
“I know this is going to be a painful period but there is light at the end of the tunnel,” she says.
“We have a 12-month program to deliver this project and we will absolutely be holding our construction partners to account to deliver on it.
In an effort to rectify the situation, passengers will travel for free on replacement bus services, known as Southwest Link, for the duration of the shutdown.
There will be 200 buses running from early in the morning to late seven days a week, and are expected to run every two to four minutes during peak travel times.
The SW1 (all stops), SW2 (limited stops including Sydenham, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown) and SW3 (limited stops including Sydenham, Canterbury, Campsie) bus routes will be included in the fare free travel scheme.
“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,” Haylen says.
“The fair thing to do is not charge a fare on our dedicated Southwest Link bus services because this will be a really tough time for passengers in Canterbury Bankstown and the Inner West.”
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