MCE has been instrumental in delivering Australia’s largest public transport project — Sydney Metro. The recent successful opening of the City line has provided valuable lessons that will guide the future of rail project development. These insights are key to fostering continuous improvement, ensuring future projects build on past experience for more efficient and successful outcomes.
Following on from last week’s ‘Lessons learnt from working on Metro projects – Part 1’, here are more lessons learnt by the MCE team:
Executing Third-Party Agreements Early
The importance of executing third-party agreements before the commencement of detailed design cannot be overstated. Early agreements with landowners, such as Councils and TfNSW Roads help define project scope and minimise the risk of scope changes later. By formalising these agreements early, the project could avoid delays or complications during design approval or construction stages, ensuring alignment between all parties from the outset.
Proactive Engagement with Regulatory Bodies
Securing approvals from key regulatory stakeholders was essential for the City line’s successful opening. Fire and Rescue NSW’s (FRNSW’s) approval was particularly important to ensure fire safety compliance in the underground environment occurred and contemplated future evacuation / fire fighting scenarios. Similarly, sign-off from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) certified that all safety protocols were rigorously maintained throughout the project phases, reinforcing regulatory compliance and public trust. During testing and commissioning, continuous on-site audits and real-time risk assessments – such as air quality checks in simulated fire scenarios – enabled early identification and mitigation of potential operational hazards. Proactive involvement of key regulatory stakeholders in these processes helped demonstrate that all key safety and operational requirements were satisfied and the railway line was ready for operations.
For more information on MCE’s capability and expertise in mega-projects, please email us at info@mce-aus.com.
Author: Stanley Weng
