Transport Infrastructure with a Sustainable Focus - Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1

Transport for NSW is delivering integrated, customer-focused and sustainable public transport with the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 project; to improve the way people connect, move and thrive in Western Sydney.

Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 (PLR) connects Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia, with a 12-kilometre, two-way track featuring 16 stops and 12 new or refurbished bridges. It is expected to open in 2024.

PLR will connect the Parramatta CBD to the Westmead Health Precinct, CommBank Stadium, the largest museum in NSW (Powerhouse Parramatta), the Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and three Western Sydney University campuses at Westmead, Parramatta, and Rydalmere. PLR will reduce the need for people to travel by car around the Greater Parramatta region, taking the equivalent of 25,000 cars off the road or 2.4 million tonnes of CO2-e by 2041.

By 2026, around 28,000 people are expected to use the Parramatta Light Rail every day, with an estimated 130,000 people living within walking distance of the light rail stops. Transport for NSW (TfNSW) has worked closely with its delivery partners to reduce impacts on residents and businesses while delivering this vital and transformative Critical State Significant Infrastructure project for the NSW community.

Leaving a positive placemaking legacy was important and through the delivery of PLR, TfNSW committed to preserving and maintaining Parramatta’s rich historical and cultural significance.

The incorporation of an enhanced urban realm, green track and wirefree areas into its design and the provision of active transport links to promote physical, mental and social community health were notable sustainability achievements.

Through various design, planning and delivery initiatives, and in close consultation with the community and stakeholders, TfNSW mitigated construction impacts and found alternative and innovative solutions to build within dense urban communities.

The Stabling and Maintenance Facility at Camellia is at the forefront of sustainable design with natural lighting in the saw-tooth roof design, 300kW photovoltaic array solar panels, rainwater storage and washdown water recycling with the solar array and water tank features accounting for a quarter of operational needs.

Through the NSW Government’s Industry Skills Legacy Program (ISLP), TfNSW addressed skill shortages and increased diversity in the industry. PLR has exceeded its employment targets for employing women in nontraditional roles, First Nations people, apprentices, and young, mature, and disadvantaged workers.

Delivering a significant infrastructure project in the heart of existing communities had challenges, and the project needed to be agile to adapt to COVID-19 and its associated impacts. Community and stakeholder engagement was essential to minimise impacts and fast-track construction where possible.

Throughout delivery, TfNSW implemented strategies to minimise disruption, such as micro-tunnelling works in the Parramatta CBD, using 3D modelling to identify and relocate utilities and using prefabricated construction and crane installation methods to reduce community impacts, such as in Bidgee Bidgee Bridge construction.

Through the use of macro-synthetic fibres for track slab construction, an Australian-first rubber rail boot system, and a sustainable wire-free green track design, the project achieved a ‘Leading’ AsBuilt Infrastructure rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council in 2022.

TfNSW and its delivery partners are committed to delivering this cityshaping project to future-proof transport and improve liveability in Western Sydney.

Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 (PLR) was awarded the Banskia Foundation's 2024 Placemaking Award.

Website: parramattalightrail.nsw.gov.au