Residents in Sydney’s south-west will be able to walk, run or cycle along a 13.8 kilometre shared path linking Sydenham and Bankstown under plans to install the track alongside the final stage of the M1 metro rail line.
The project, dubbed the “MetroWay”, will follow the rail corridor and intersect with the six-kilometre GreenWay bike and pedestrian path at Dulwich Hill, connecting users to the route between the Cooks River and Iron Cove.
Transport Minister John Graham said the MetroWay would provide a “city-shaping active transport link” between Marrickville’s pubs and cafés, and the restaurants of Campsie and Bankstown, via Canterbury and Lakemba.
“Combining the MetroWay with the GreenWay will completely unlock the south-west and the inner west for runners, walkers and cyclists,” Graham said.
Commuters in the city’s south-western suburbs have endured lengthy disruptions to the final stage of the M1 metro rail project between Sydenham and Bankstown, which is due to open in the second half of this year.
The shared path will include trees, public art, rest stops, lights and signs. It will link to more than 350 bike spaces at rail stations in the south-west, which the government hopes will spur more people to leave their car at home.
Residents face a long wait for the project, as tenders open this week. A contract is expected to be awarded later this year, and early works should begin soon after. The government has declined to give an estimated cost or completion date for the project.
Graham said the path would connect stations along the M1 metro rail line with existing and planned bike networks and that it would be designed for people of all ages and riding abilities.
“This mega-project is about so much more than building a metro — it’s about housing uplift, new public spaces and ways of getting active,” Graham said.
The final sections of the $57 million GreenWay cycling and pedestrian route opened in December, connecting popular exercise routes along the Cooks River in Earlwood, and the Bay Run loop at Iron Cove.
Summer Hill MP Jo Haylen said the MetroWay would provide “a safe continuous pathway from Bankstown right through to the Iron Cove, connecting to the Greenway and the Bay Run”.
“This is about giving locals real options to walk, ride, and stay active, making our neighbourhoods better connected and easier to get around,” she said.
The final stage of the M1 metro line was due to be opened in late 2025 after a 12-month shutdown of the old heavy rail line. It was later delayed until the second half of this year.
Graham declined to give a target opening date for the project last month, prompting the NSW opposition to push for an explanation as to when services would start.
About 80 per cent of work to convert the existing heavy rail line between Sydenham and Bankstown to metro train standards has been completed, and high-speed testing has ramped up.
A metro train last month travelled the entire length of the 66-kilometre M1 line from Tallawong to Bankstown via the city, stopping at all 31 stations. The train reached speeds of 100km/h on the final section between Sydenham and Bankstown. Six trains are currently being used for testing along the route.
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