Sydney's metro station prototypes put to the test

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Two life-size prototypes of metro railway stations for the A$8.3 billion Sydney Metro Northwest project have been unveiled by NSW Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance. 

The prototypes are a leading part of Australia’s largest public transport infrastructure project currently under construction. 

The station prototypes have been built by Northwest Rapid Transit (NRT) as a development tool in finalising station design and engineering. 

Plenary Group – the capital arranger and financial sponsor of the consortium, and equity investor in the project – was part of the NRT consortium awarded the contract to deliver the Operations, Trains and Systems part of the project. 

Plenary Group Managing Director Paul Oppenheim said that these prototypes are an important step in ensuring the stations are safe and reliable. 

“The station prototypes will convey the customer experience using the materials, fixtures and fittings proposed for the new stations,” Mr Oppenheim said. 

“Feedback from customer and stakeholder groups will ensure the design and safety of the stations are up to the highest standard. 

“This feedback and support is a valuable part of the success of the project with safety, efficiency and reliability at the forefront of the design process.” 

Notable safety features seen in the prototypes include platform screen doors – an Australian-first that keeps people and objects away from the tracks, improving platform safety and train service reliability – platform security cameras and video help points. 

Sydney Metro Northwest, Australia’s first fully automated metro rail system will deliver eight new railway stations and five upgraded stations over 36 kilometres of track as well as 4,000 commuter car parking spaces to Sydney’s growing northwest.

Image: One of the Sydney Metro Northwest project’s railway station prototypes

Executive Director, Communications
+61 3 8888 7754
+61 418 530 806
chris.whitefield@plenary.com