$110 MILLION CONTRACTS SIGNAL GOOD NEWS FOR TRAIN TRAVELLERS

Train customers in Sydney’s south are a step closer to more frequent and reliable services after the NSW Government signed $110 million worth of new signalling contracts.

The deal with Siemens Mobility Pty Ltd will deliver the first digital signalling on Sydney’s rail network, between Sutherland and Cronulla, allowing drivers to receive information directly into the train cab rather than looking at fixed ‘traffic light’ signals outside.

It might sound like a minor change but it’s going to make a huge difference to the way our rail network operates.

While traditional signals have served Sydney well for decades, they are fixed at set locations and limit the railway from operating at its full potential. This technology allows the track and train to talk to each other continuously.

That means trains can run closer together, safely, and once installed across the network, will allow services to run more reliably. It will also mean when an incident happens, the network can recover more quickly.

Construction between Sutherland and Cronulla will start this month with the new system due to be ready for operations in 2023.

The work forms part of the NSW Government’s $5.3 billion More Trains, More Services Program.

As part of the program, Sutherland Shire commuters can look forward to a 30 per cent increase in services on the T4 Line, with extra services from Cronulla, Waterfall and Hurstville.