Driverless trains approved for Sydney's M1 metro southwest section
Trials of driverless trains without on-board supervisors have been approved ahead of the mid-October opening target.
The final 13-kilometre section of Sydney's M1 metro runs from Sydenham to Bankstown. Metro Trains Sydney won approval Thursday to trial driverless operations without a supervisor on board.
The southwest section will open mid-October. Final clearance from the national rail regulator is required.
The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator will review all safety evidence and documents. Then it will give approval.
Two years ago, the metro's city section was forced to delay by several weeks. It missed the regulator's deadline.
This time, the government says it is working step-by-step with planned milestones. The southwest section has extra challenges.
These include mechanical gap fillers on curved platforms and wildlife detection systems that go off regularly.
- 13 kilometres
- Section length
- $30 billion
- Line cost
- Mid-October
- Target opening
- Sydenham to Bankstown
- Route terminals
Why it mattersSydney commuters could get a major new transport link within weeks. Delays would affect construction, services, and passenger planning.
AustraliaIf approved, Canberra and southern NSW residents heading to Sydney would gain faster metro access. A delay would again test whether independent safety oversight can coexist with tight political deadlines.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 7 d ago
