Procurement has started for the Stage 2a main works contract on Parramatta Light Rail, clearing the way for construction to begin in early 2027 on the 10-kilometre extension to Olympic Park.
The City Desk is a contributing writer covering city and public affairs for The Sydney Times.
Procurement has started for the Stage 2a main works contract on Parramatta Light Rail, clearing the way for construction to begin in early 2027 on the 10-kilometre extension that will connect Parramatta CBD to Sydney Olympic Park.
Stage 2a will deliver 4.5 kilometres of new dual track, nine new stops, a new public and active transport bridge linking Camellia and Rydalmere, an expanded Stabling and Maintenance Facility at Clyde, and additional light rail vehicles. The extension will link the Stage 1 terminus at Camellia through Rydalmere, Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point to Sydney Olympic Park. Construction is expected to create more than 2,000 construction and related jobs in Western Sydney, with 80 percent of those based in Western Sydney.
The enabling works, including the new bridge across the Parramatta River between Wentworth Point and Melrose Park, are already under construction. John Holland Pty Ltd was awarded the Enabling Works contract following a competitive tender process, and major bridge construction commenced in 2025. This marks the first major bridge crossing the Parramatta River since the Ryde Bridge was completed nearly 40 years ago.
According to the NSW Government Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 update, construction of the Enabling Works, including the public and active transport bridge across the Parramatta River, commenced in 2025. A competitive procurement process will commence in early 2026 to engage a contractor to deliver the Stage 2a project.
Stage 2 will link to the existing Parramatta Light Rail system, which carries up to 90,000 passengers a week. The extension will provide a much-needed public transport link for the fastest-growing areas of Sydney, including Wentworth Point and Melrose Park, which have developed without sufficient public transport infrastructure. The area has seen rapid population growth from new apartment developments, with limited public transport options forcing residents to rely on cars for daily travel.
The Minns Labor Government says the rezonings around the Metro West and Light Rail stations will deliver tens of thousands of new homes within walking distance of reliable, fast and easy to use public transport. The Stage 2 extension will support the Carter Street precinct, Sydney Olympic Park and the new housing hubs at Melrose Park and Wentworth Point, where thousands of new apartments are under construction or in planning.
The NSW Government has not published a specific opening date for Stage 2. Stage 1 opened in 2024, and Stage 2a main works are expected to commence in early 2027 after the procurement process is complete. Construction of a light rail extension of this scale typically takes five to seven years from main works commencement to passenger services, suggesting an opening date in the early 2030s. Stage 2b, the extension from Wentworth Point to Sydney Olympic Park, will be considered as part of the Government's broader transport infrastructure investment program and in line with future network planning.
The project has a total funding commitment of $3 billion to date, which covers Stage 1 and the enabling works for Stage 2. The cost of the main works contract will be confirmed once the contractor is appointed. According to Transport for NSW, the Stage 2a project will generate more than 2,000 construction and other jobs in Western Sydney, providing a significant economic stimulus during the construction period.
For more context on Sydney transit infrastructure, see The City.
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