AUSTRALIA: The New South Wales government announced on June 6 that trains on the North West Rail Link in Sydney would be driverless, and all stations would have platform screen doors.
‘Fully-automated train technology has been in use around the world for 30 years, keeping customers safe and ensuring rapid transit systems like the one we are building operate fast and efficiently, while catering for future growth’, said NSW transport minister Gladys Berejiklian, pointing to the examples of London, Barcelona, Paris, Singapore and Dubai.
The 23 km suburban line between Cudgegong Road and Chatswood is still in the planning phase. In July 2011 a consortium led by AECOM and including Cox Architects Pty Ltd, Grimshaw Architects and Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia Ltd was selected to undertake design work on the extension to the Epping – Chatswood line, which opened in early 2009. This will be upgraded as part of the project.
