The Bankstown TOD Rezoning Transport Statement falsely claims that Bankstown has rail connection (in a westerly direction) to Liverpool. From October 2024, the new Sydney Trains Network and timetable will be reconfigured to only operate trains west of Bankstown to Lidcombe.
The new T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line does not include stations between Sefton and Liverpool. The T3 Liverpool & Inner West Line is only a Liverpool to City Circle via Regents Park service without including Birrong – Yagoona – Bankstown.
Sydney Rail Network map for 2024 showing commuters travelling between Bankstown and Liverpool must interchange at Regents Park for a connecting train on the T3 or T6 Lines in the 2024 timetable (from October). Transport for NSW has confirmed in Planning for Rail Services for West of Bankstown that when Sydney Metro Southwest (Sydenham - Bankstown) opens that there will not be direct trains between Liverpool - Bankstown.
The existing T3 Line between Liverpool and Bankstown is being removed without justification as all stations between Liverpool and Bankstown on the existing rail corridor have capacity in the 2024 timetable for an additional 4 trains per hour, hence Sydney Trains services between Liverpool and Bankstown should be retained.
The NSW Government has also cancelled the future extension of the Sydney Metro Southwest from Bankstown to Liverpool; hence the Transport Oriented Development Program cannot make reliance on any current or proposed rail link between Bankstown and Liverpool.
Bankstown also needs improved public transport connections other than investment in Sydney Metro Southwest. The West of Bankstown and surrounding area has been neglected by the NSW Government with the focus being on the Sydenham to Bankstown conversion into metro falsely seen as the solution to all traffic and transport issues.
The Inner West Line (pre-2013) must be restored also from Bankstown to City Circle via Regents Park in the 2024 timetable. There is existing capacity for at least 2 to 4 trains per hour from Bankstown to City Circle via Regents Park on the Sydney Trains Network in the 2024 timetable.
The T2 Inner West Line trains starting from Homebush should also be reallocated to start from Bankstown then all stations towards Lidcombe then continuing through Flemington, Homebush, Strathfield through the Inner West to Central.
The supposed rail bottleneck between Lidcombe and Homebush is a myth promoted by Transport for NSW since 2013 that has been disproven with the lack of statistical evidence that termination of the Inner West Line at Homebush has improved reliability.
Sydney Trains despite being subject to numerous GIPA requests since 2013 has not been able to produce any data supporting the 2013 timetable decision to terminate the T2 Inner West Line at Homebush and to the decision to terminate the T3 Bankstown Line at Lidcombe.
The real reason for the termination of the Inner West Line at Homebush in 2013 and the termination of the Bankstown Line at Lidcombe in 2013 was to support early planning for conversion of the Inner West Line to Homebush into metro and conversion of the Bankstown Line to Lidcombe into metro; both of which were eventually deemed unfeasible but the pre-emptive Sydney Trains Network cuts remained.
The NSW Government is urged to immediately implement the recommendation made by the Parliament Inquiry into Sydenham – Bankstown line conversion (2019-20) to restore direct trains to City Circle via Lidcombe on the Inner West Line for ALL stations in the West of Bankstown area.
Sydney Trains digital signalling upgrades should also be prioritised for the West of Bankstown area to reduce journey times between Bankstown and Lidcombe, as also to improve train operations through Sefton Junction.
The full Inner West Line and Bankstown Line should be restored to its pre-2013 route operations including Bankstown to City via Regents Park and Bankstown - Liverpool. Signalling upgrades should also enable the restoration of regular services between Bankstown - Parramatta via Berala/Auburn (Lidcombe Junction West).
The NSW Government should also prioritise funding to develop a business case for “RiverRail” (a new Sydney Trains line initially from Parramatta to Bankstown to Kogarah, with future extension between Parramatta and Norwest, and Kogarah to Miranda.
Reducing travel times between Bankstown with major hubs such as Parramatta and Kogarah will also drive much needed economic growth to Bankstown Town Centre and surrounding areas of Canterbury-Bankstown LGA to fund the long term amenity and local needs to ensure that the Transport Oriented Development Program rezoning does not place excessive burden on the community.
“RiverRail” (Norwest/Parramatta to Bankstown to Kogarah/Miranda) must be constructed as Sydney Trains (not Sydney Metro) to enable Birrong and Yagoona stations to remain open and integrated with existing services.
The T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown Line should be retained as Sydney Trains and extended as part of restoring the Inner West Line: Bankstown to City Circle via Regents Park service. The T3 Bankstown Line should be retained as Sydney Trains and have the Liverpool to Bankstown services retained in the 2024 timetable.
Proposed Light Rail from Bankstown to Parramatta via Bankstown Airport and South Granville…
To properly support Bankstown as a regional hub in South Western Sydney and reduce car dependency with the growing population living in the town centre, consideration should be given to new light rail extension from Parramatta to Bankstown via South Granville and Bankstown Airport (both areas currently are without any rail).
Bus services for Bankstown must also be increased with all routes operating at a minimum 15 minute frequency in peak and a minimum of every 30 minutes in off peak (including weekends and public holidays).
Operating hours for buses in Bankstown also need to be extended with minimum 30 minute frequencies until 12am for most routes, and NightRide buses need to extend from Bankstown along all stations on the T6 Line to Lidcombe.
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