Construction of new twin metro rail tunnels deep under Sydney Harbour and the city centre is expected to commence before the end of the year following signing of the contract.

The Sydney Metro City & Southwest tunnelling contract involves:

• twin-bore 15.5km metro rail tunnels from Chatswood to Sydenham

• excavation and civil works for six new stations at Crows Nest, North Sydney, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo, and

• four double-shield, hard rock, gripper type TBMs and one specialised TBM for tunnelling under Sydney Harbour.

NSW transport and infrastructure minister Mr Andrew Constance said the line extends the metro concept from Sydney’s North-West into the City and Bankstown, connecting with new metro stations already under construction at Castle Hill, Bella Vista, Rouse Hill, Kellyville and beyond.

“This new metro line will eventually extend for 66km, connecting dozens of suburbs along the way,” Constance says. “When services through the City start in 2024, the tunnels will have the capacity to move more people than the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel combined.”