The first stage of the $955 million Central Station upgrades will be unveiled later this year after nearly four years of construction. The NSW Government has given commuters a taste of what’s to come, with the largest escalators in the Southern Hemisphere installed as part of the upgrades.

Designed by Woods Bagot in collaboration with John McAslan + Partners, construction is entering the latter stages, with the excavation of the underground cavern and installation of the new metro platforms complete. The new underground pedestrian link, Central Walk, is a 19m wide and 80m long concourse that sits beneath platforms 16 to 23.

Many of the escalators have been installed along Central Walk, with 42 of them in total. Escalators will account for 955m of new walkways throughout the station. Each 135m-long ‘set’ comprises three 45m-long escalators.

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“This city-shaping work is an extraordinary engineering and construction accomplishment. We’re delivering this Metro rail station below the surface at Central while existing train services continue above,” says NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

“The upgrade to Central Station will create more than 5,500 jobs over the four years of construction, and represents the biggest improvement to the station in decades.”

Perrottet and Minister for Transport and Minister for Veterans David Elliott inspected the new works last week. Elliott says the new northern concourse canopy has been completed, and provides travellers with an additional 540sqm of open space.

“The roof over this transformed pedestrian thoroughfare, made in the Hunter Valley, sits 16m above ground and weighs 330 tonnes,” he says.

“While construction continues on Metro with the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project services on track to start in 2024, the first stage of Central Walk is being prepared to open this year.

”When complete, this underground link will make it easier for customers to connect with train, bus, light rail, and metro services.”

The new Central Walk and escalators and lifts from Platforms 12 to 23 will be open later this year. The new Metro Platforms will become operational following the launch of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest services in 2024.

Jarrod Reedie

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