Sydney Light rail

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Daily Telegraph --> Report: Live wire near light rail exposed for 'months'

A DAMNING report into how a 15-year-old schoolgirl received an "industrial strength" electric shock near the Sydney light rail project has found the rogue wire was likely exposed for four months before the incident and two homeless people were shocked in the same location a week before.

The independent report released today by Transport for NSW Secretary Rodd Staples also found the disaster may have been avoided entirely if the design of the Roads and Maritime pit had not been half the standard depth — only 300mm deep compared to the usual 600mm.

Newtown High student Anna Lambden almost died on June 10 when an electric current surged through her as she walked next to a construction zone on the corner of Ultimo and George streets at Haymarket in wet socks.

Minister for Roads and Maritime Melinda Pavey said she had phoned Ms Lambden's mother this morning to express her "sincere apologies" over the incident.

"As the mother of a 15-year-old girl myself I was deeply concerned when I heard what had happened," she said.

"It shouldn't have happened and the independent report released today will ensure it never happens again."

Ms Pavey said she had instructed the RMS to implement "every single one" of the recommendations made by the investigator, which focus on strengthening independent checks within RMS traffic signalling maintenance systems.

They also suggest the "consideration of extra support for safety assurance by the Secretary if required".

Ms Pavey said she was "furious" at how the incident had occurred — especially revelations in the report that a "breakdown in communications" had occurred within the transport cluster resulting in Ms Lambden's family not being contacted in a timely manner.

"Although the medical, police and maintenance responses were timely and effective, a breakdown in communications meant the serious nature of the incident and response actions taken at the scene were not known or communicated across the cluster until almost 24 hours later," the report noted.

"I am furious at how this could have happened and how the Transport cluster itself in the aftermath event handled itself," Ms Pavey said.

"I have put them on notice — it simply wasn't good enough."

Ms Pavey said she had also contacted the contractor responsible for managing the pits who did not provide information in a timely way to express her disappointment.

The report concluded the incident was caused by an electric cable being compressed between the lid of a traffic signal pit and its supporting frame.

However, it said it was "likely" the situation may have existed since February 2018 — four months before Ms Lambden was shocked.

"The compression caused the insulation around the wire to be worn away, presenting an opportunity for the exposed wire to energise the pit lid," the report noted.

However, the pit in question is unique and unlike the other 33,000 pits in Sydney — it was dug in the lead-up to the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and is shallower than the standard design.

It was noted the "design of the pit is likely to have contributed to the incident". Mr Staples said the pit would be modified to conform to the typical pit design across the rest of Sydney but couldn't confirm it was a one-off.

The report also found two suspected homeless people potentially received an electric shock at the same location no less than a week earlier. However, this was not reported at the time.

Ms Pavey said efforts had been made to contact the homeless victims but the government had not been able to locate them.

But despite the comprehensive investigation, it's still unknown which party is at fault over the incident.

Mr Staples said the last recorded access to the pit was made in February by a subcontractor but acknowledged it was possible another party had accessed the pit since that time.

Ms Lambden's mother Viola Morris said her daughter was still "traumatised" from the incident and will seek compensation from the state government.

Ms Morris, who fronted the media with her solicitor this afternoon, said the report revealed the Sydney light rail project was a "dog's breakfast and my daughter was nearly killed because of it".

"We are focusing on Anna's recovery. She continues to be affected by her injuries and we hope all the recommendations are followed so no family needs to go through this again," Ms Morris said in a statement.

Her solicitor, Kristian Bolwell, said the incident was a "preventable disgrace".

"There's been a near-death experience of my client and... significant trauma for her mother who listened to her daughter screaming in agony as a consequence of being electrocuted," he said.

"We say that's an outrage. There are 30,000 of these pits in NSW - there's 30,000 chances of significant harm or injury to other people. "

Mr Bolwell said the lack of communication from the government in the four days after the incident was "a significant trauma as well".

"The message to the Premier is: you'll be hearing from us."

He said it was disappointing the government hadn't come forward with an offer of compensation.

Asked about the wellbeing of Ms Lambden, he said: "She's traumatised, as you'd expect. It was a near death experience, significant pain for a long time - she's not well."

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Sydney Morning Herald --> Secret document warns vision for Sydney's light rail ignored realities

A secret report prepared by the state government's own experts warned the plan for Sydney's light rail was talked up without knowing the "hidden realities" of the project.

The report, titled Lessons for Light Rail, identifies a range of problems, from rising costs to the design drawings being "dumbed down" and major stakeholders not involved in the early planning.

It says the project for a light rail from Sydney's CBD to the eastern suburbs would be hit with "high prices and design delays" as a result of "onerous contract modifications" and the design process should have been more detailed with a longer "evaluation and negotiation period".

The report has emerged as the government remains locked in a legal battle with the Spanish contractor building the project.

Acciona alleges that Transport for NSW did not reveal the full extent of the work needed to move underground cables and has launched a $1.1 billion misleading and deceptive conduct claim.

The report dated February 1 2016, warns: "Visions were promoted before understanding the real constraints of the project- the underground utilities and drainage. The project is then blamed or delayed when it cannot deliver unrealistic expectations."

The report is from Transport for NSW's urban domain reference group, whose members include NSW's chief architect and the light's rail principal engineer and project director. This group is a condition of the project's planning approval.

The latest document, obtained by the Opposition, follows other damning reports that have warned of the serious problems the light rail- from Sydney's CBD to the eastern suburbs, would face.

In February 2014 the Herald revealed that a peer review of the business case conducted by Evans & Peck warned that the government had been overly optimistic in its assumptions.

In 2016- just months after the urban domain reference group prepared its document, the NSW Auditor-General reported the cost blow-outs in the project were "due to incorrect estimates" in the project's business case a year earlier.

The Opposition leader, Luke Foley said the latest document was further proof that the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, knew the light rail was "a dud of a project" but she ignored expert advice.

"At every step Ms Berejiklian and her Transport Minister were warned against reintroducing light rail into the city and today taxpayers are having to foot the bill for their arrogance and incompetence," Mr Foley said.

"Ms Berejiklian got us into this mess but she doesn't have a plan to get us out. She isn't able to say when, or even if, her pet project of light rail will ever be delivered."

A spokesman for Transport for NSW said the document was created five months after construction of the light rail had begun.

"Building light rail down George Street was always going to be complex and challenging. Despite this, the vision has not changed with ALTRAC [the consortium building the light rail] advising major civil construction will be substantially complete by the end of this year."

"Further, the document discusses that design elements of light rail projects are fundamentally different to heavy rail due to their capacity to enhance and transform precincts with pedestrian boulevards, shared access and improved integration into metropolitan areas."

The reference group was set up to to provide "independent, high level urban design, architecture, and landscape architecture review for the light rail project" as well as  "express opinions frankly and ask questions that go to the fundamental core of the issue".

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"Incorrect estimates" aren't all estimates incorrect, by definition?

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AFR --> Sydney's George St light rail zone damages 'capped' at $232.5m

Liquidated damages owed to the NSW government for delays on the troubled George Street light rail project are "capped" at $232.5 million, reducing the financial pressure on the Altrac consortium to speed up delivery, a parliamentary inquiry has revealed.

Transport for NSW deputy secretary Stephen Troughton told the inquiry's first hearing on Monday that the government's $2.1 billion contract with Altrac, the consortium building the project, had penalty clauses associated with each of the project's 31 zones.

Altrac incurs a $500,000 penalty for every day of delay in finishing work in each zone, but the penalties for each zone are capped after 15 days at $7.5 million, Mr Troughton said. 

If there are delays of 15 days or longer in each of the 31 zones, Altrac's total penalties for late delivery will consequently be limited to $232.5 million.

The NSW Legislative Council's Public Accountability Committee is holding an inquiry into the impact of the light rail project, which was initially due to be finished by March 2019 but is running a year late.

While there were provisions for additional "significant damages" in the contract between Altrac and Acciona, the Spanish group in charge of building the light rail line, those damages did not flow through to the government due to the structure of its public private partnership (PPP), Mr Troughton said. "There is no direct contact with Acciona," he said.

Acciona is suing Transport for NSW, alleging the government engaged in "misleading or deceptive" conduct when providing information on how to handle Ausgrid electricity cables running along George Street.
'Not overly happy'

Capella Capital, the Lendlease subsidiary that provides PPP financing and was previously part of the Altrac consortium, no longer had any association with the light rail project, Mr Troughton said.

Altrac has told the government it plans to complete the project in March 2020 but Mr Troughton said the government as "not overly happy" with the March 2020 date and was trying to bring it forward.

Greens MP David Shoebridge accused the NSW government of "incompetence" for signing a PPP contract that did not put more financial pressure on Altrac to finish the project.

NSW Auditor-General Margaret Crawford said her department was "open to suggestions" for follow-up audits after an initial audit of the project's planning, released in November 2016, found that Transport for NSW had "skipped important assurance steps" and "mispricing and omissions" in the business case blew out costs by $517 million.

"There were two very important stages [that were missed] that would have improved the likelihood of this project being planned and procured effectively," Ms Crawford told the hearing.

Margaret Prendergast, Transport for NSW coordinator general, said the government had paid $9 million rental assistance to 88 businesss affected by construction since August 2017, and that 81 per cent of businesses that had applied for assistance had been successful.

Businesses are only eligible for assistance when construction in a zone is delayed, but work in some zones has been scheduled to continue for a year, meaning businesses cannot get financial help during that time.

Ms Prendergast said the government's most recent vacancy survey showed there were 51 vacancies along the light rail route.

Of these vacancies, 10 were vacant before construction started, eight were being refitted for new businesses, and three were new developments, Ms Prendergast said.

Robyn Hobbs, NSW's Small Business Commissioner, said the government did not set up databases before construction started to monitor declines in profits and sales for businesses along the light rail route.

Sean Morrissey, deputy chief executive of Australian Hotels Association NSW, said hotels along the route had seen annual net profits drop by as much as $683,000 after construction started in October 2015.

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"Incorrect estimates" aren't all estimates incorrect, by definition?

No, you can make an estimate and have it be bang on the money or close to it.

If your estimate is wildly out, then you have a problem.

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The Australian --> Further $500m requested for Sydney light rail

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has asked NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet for $500 million to give the consortium building Sydney's troubled CBD light rail project, a budget estimates committee has heard.

Mr Constance declined to deny a claim by NSW Labor MP Daniel Mookhey that Mr Constance had written to Mr Perrottet asking for $500 million and was immediately given $200 million.

The Australian revealed in April that the subcontractor Acciona was suing the state government for an extra $1.2 billion for the $2.1 billion project, which was originally costed at $1.6 billion.

The Australian also revealed this year that the government has already committed the $2.1 billion towards the project and a blowout was inevitable.

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Daily Telegraph --> Sydney's light rail project has first daytime test

SYDNEY'S controversial light rail project had its first daytime test of the new carriages on Tuesday, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian catching a ride on it.

Ms Berejiklian said the trip — from Royal Randwick to Lang Road at Moore Park — hit speeds of 60km per hour, much faster than travelling by bus.

Accompanied by Transport Minister Andrew Constance and Coogee MP Bruce Notley-Smith, the premier declared she was confident the light rail project would be open to the public by the end of next year.

She said 23km of track had been built with only 1km yet now left to be laid along the route, which runs from Circular Quay to Randwick.

"Some of the hoardings will soon come down and the next stage is landscaping to replace the greenery alongside the track," Ms Berejiklian said.

The testing of the five-section 67-metre long carriage took place in the first "energised" section of the 12km route — with overhead live electricity powering the new vehicles.

"It was an exciting sense of history," she said. "We saw many onlookers waving and giving us the thumbs up.

"We're hoping by the end of next year customers will be able to use the service. I want to apologise and thank everybody for putting up with the disruption.

"The light is definitely at the end of the tunnel."

Asked if the she could open up the light rail in sections to the public, to get around the delays that have beset the project, Ms Berejiklian said "we are looking at all the options".

"I don't want to pre-empt any of those decisions, I don't anticipate that will occur until towards the end of next year," she said.

She said the government will also be raising awareness of pedestrians walking in some of the zones, with the light rail speeds being much lower in the busy thoroughfares.

"We need to make sure people start adjusting to being safe around the tracks," she said.

Mr Notley-Smith said it had been 57 years since a tram had gone along the route alongside Anzac Parade and "they should never have been removed".

He said the new light rail would be "sustainable, quiet, and high capacity public transport system".

"This corridor was set aside to have trams and now we have the light rail vehicle — I'm so excited," he said.

"It's been a challenge. We're nearing the end."

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The Guardian --> Sydney's troubled $2.1bn light rail project delayed again

Builder Acciona says it won't be ready until May 2020, claiming NSW government knew of new delay months ago

The troubled Sydney CBD light rail project has been delayed yet again, with the firm building the line to the eastern suburbs claiming it warned the New South Wales government about the fresh delay months ago.

The Acciona Infrastructure Australia managing director, Bede Noonan, told a state parliamentary inquiry on Thursday the $2.1bn project won't be completed until May 2020.

His evidence suggested the government had known of the latest delay for two months.

"I don't want to answer on behalf of the government, but it is quite clear that we notified [it] in August," Noonan told the inquiry.

Acciona provides updates through the project consortium Altrac's monthly reports to the government.

The project was originally meant to be completed by early 2019 before it was pushed back to March 2020.

Noonan put the latest delay down to Ausgrid's "failure" to perform essential works to move overhead electricity wires in Kensington and Kingsford underground.

"That is a project we are unable to do. It has to be done by Ausgrid," he said. Ausgrid has been contacted for comment.

Noonan says Acciona was presented with new conditions about moving Ausgrid electricity pits after the contract was signed in February 2015.
Sydney's light rail chaos: who is to blame for delays and cost blowout?
Read more

The inquiry heard Acciona advised the government in March 2015 the project was at risk of not meeting the original 2019 completion date.

Acciona is locked in a court battle with the NSW government, with lawyers for the Spanish group claiming the government misled the company on the complexity of the utilities works.

Other big names involved in the project – which runs from Sydney's CBD to the city's eastern suburbs – will also face the inquiry on Thursday.

James Bramley, the chairman of Altrac consortium directly responsible for managing construction, is also scheduled to appear at the inquiry, as are several Transport for NSW bureaucrats.

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Sydney Morning Herald --> 'We have turned a corner': Sydney light rail barrier removal underway

It has been a long time coming but more barricades along one of Sydney's premier shopping streets for the troubled $2.1 billion light rail project are being removed, giving way to pedestrian-friendly strips.

Construction barriers were removed on George Street between Martin Place and King Street on Saturday, while those at Circular Quay are due to be removed by next week.

Under the most recent timetable, the consortium building the line has said it will remove barricades along George Street between Circular Quay and Liverpool Street by this month. Barriers in front of shops along the rest of the line on George Street near Chinatown were expected to stay until January.

Transport Minster Andrew Constance said he was hopeful the ALTRAC consortium would meet the deadlines for barrier removal given the "number of workers on some of those construction zones".

"There is nothing stopping them getting on with the completion of this civil construction," he said on Tuesday.

"Let me give heart to the city, and hope to the city. The barriers are starting to come out of the way and the city is going to start to breathe again."

However, repeated delays to construction of the line have made retailers and residents sceptical that the contractors will meet their target dates.

Work still appears some way from completion on stretches of the northern end of George Street, such as from Bridge to Margaret streets, and between Hunter Street and Martin Place.

Nadia Lanos, from retailer Tommy Bahama, said she was "not hopeful" that the barriers would be removed outside the clothing store near Martin Place by this month.

"It is frustrating. I have been here two years and it's always been like this," she said.

She said she would breathe a "very long" sigh of relief when construction was completed.

Labor's transport spokeswoman, Jodi McKay, said people remained cynical because there had been "so many timelines and promises made to businesses and residents".

But Mr Constance said the project had "turned a corner" given that 99 per cent of the track slab for the 12-kilometre line from the CBD to Randwick and Kingsford in the city's south east had been finished.

The light rail project has been marred by legal battles, cost blowouts, repeated delays to construction, and prolonged disruption to businesses and residents.

So far, the government has provided almost $14 million of rental relief to small businesses to help support them through the construction disruption.

Spanish contractor Acciona, which is part of the consortium responsible for the project, warned last month that the line was unlikely to be opened until May 2020 – 14 months later than planned – because power company Ausgrid needed to shift overhead lines at Kensington and Kingsford.

But Mr Constance said he remained hopeful that the line could be opened to passengers next year.

Barriers along Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, and those at Moore Park, are due to be removed by this month, but residents and retailers at Randwick, Kingsford and Kensington are likely to have to wait until February before those in their suburbs are taken away.

Construction is underway on all but two of the 19 light rail stops. Barriers will remain around the stops and other smaller construction areas while finishing works and the fit out of rail systems are completed.

ALTRAC chief executive Glenn Bentley said the next stage of the project, which included installing overhead wires and systems, would be less intrusive for residents and businesses.

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https://twitter.com/DaveSharma/status/1062928454159491072

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Sydney Morning Herald --> Clear out of senior bureaucrats overseeing Sydney light rail project

The broom has been pushed through the office of senior public servants overseeing Sydney's troubled $2.1 billion light rail line, resulting in the departure of the project's director, Andy Summers.

As part of an overhaul of roles at the state's main transport agency, five of those in the top eight leadership roles at the Sydney light rail delivery office have exited their positions.

An internal email to staff on Monday shows two of the senior managers in the delivery office have been replaced by public servants in acting positions, while the role of director of project operations remains vacant.

Mr Summers, a former senior executive at engineering company UGL, has been replaced as head of the light rail delivery office by Stephen Pascall, who oversaw Sydney's $1.8 billion South West Rail Link.

Set up three years ago, the standalone office is responsible for delivering the 12-kilometre line between Circular Quay and Randwick and Kingsford in the south-east.

Sources said Mr Pascall was well regarded within the transport industry and public service. "If anyone can get this [light rail project] back on the rails it is probably him," one said.

The leadership overhaul comes as Acciona, the Spanish company building the light rail line, is due to appear before a state parliamentary inquiry into the bungled project on Thursday.

It will be the second appearance before the inquiry by the managing director of Acciona's Australian operations, Bede Noonan.

Last month Mr Noonan warned that the project was unlikely to be opened until May 2020 – 14 months later than planned – and revealed that Acciona now estimates the final cost to itself of constructing the line will double to $1.8 billion.

Acciona is suing the government for $1.1 billion for allegedly failing to reveal that it had not secured the agreement of power company Ausgrid on how crucial cables under the route should be handled.

As part of an overhaul of the leadership at the state's transport agency, deputy secretary of infrastructure and services Stephen Troughton is exiting Transport for NSW. Mr Troughton focused directly on the light rail projects in Sydney and Newcastle for some time this year.

The changes include the creation of a new division within Transport for NSW known as Infrastructure and Place led by deputy secretary Peter Regan. The division has oversight of projects such as the new light rail lines in Sydney's CBD and Parramatta, as well as the state's rail delivery programs.

A spokeswoman for Transport for NSW said Mr Troughton made the decision to "look outside the transport cluster for his next role".

"This was a mutually agreed decision with Stephen remaining with Transport for NSW to assist in the transition until his last day on 30 November," she said.

"The key focus of the Sydney Light Rail project will soon start to shift from civil construction to the systems and final delivery stages ahead of operation."

Mr Summers will also leave Transport for NSW on Friday.

The light rail project in central Sydney has become a political headache for the Berejiklian government due to the legal battles, cost blowouts, repeated delays to construction, and prolonged disruption to businesses and residents along the route of the line.

Transport for NSW secretary Rodd Staples and the head of the agency's transport co-ordination, Marg Prendergast, will also appear at the parliamentary inquiry on Thursday.

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Rail Express --> Light rail testing extends to Wansey Road in Randwick

Tram testing on Sydney's new line has been extended to Wansey Road in Randwick, with regular night testing occurring during November.

Transport for NSW said the new work was the first testing of the Sydney CBD & South East Light Rail through an intersection.

The work is putting traffic signal phasing at Darley and Alison Road through its paces, the team said, to ensure a good balance of movements for motorists, buses, pedestrians, cyclists and the light rail vehicle.

"Customer safety is our number one priority, if you are in this area after 9pm, whether you're a motorist, pedestrian or cyclist, be alert as road conditions may have changed," Transport for NSW coordinator general Marg Prendergast said.

Prendergast encouraged people travelling along Wansey Road and near the Darley and Alison Road intersection to keep an eye out for changes in the area during this important phase of vehicle testing.

"This is the first time fencing along the tracks is removed and people have direct access to the tracks, so please be careful.

"We remind anyone travelling after 9pm along Wansey Road and near the Darley and Alison Road intersection to be alert and remember that road conditions may have changed."

The Sydney Light Rail crew has been conducting testing between 10pm and 4am.

There are currently 14 light rail vehicles in Australia for the new Sydney project. By mid-2019 there will be 60 vehicles at the Randwick Stabling Yard.

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Just wow! George Street now.

https://youtu.be/kPkxCpFB6Ko

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Sydney Morning Herald --> Sydney light rail inquiry finds delays 'caused distress' to residents, businesses

A parliamentary inquiry into Sydney's eastern suburbs light rail has called for a review of the effectiveness of public-private partnerships given the litany of problems with the delayed project.

The inquiry's final report, released on Friday, made just one finding - that "the delay of the project has contributed to the distress of residents and businesses".

But the report made 20 recommendations including that the state's auditor-general undertake a review of the effectiveness of PPP contracts "for significant state infrastructure projects".

The public accountability committee also recommended a full investigation into the mishandling of human remains by a worker who was seen throwing bones onto the pavement in Surry Hills in October 2018

The report also suggested Transport for NSW conduct an urgent review of all claims of property damage caused by the delayed project.

The light rail was initially expected to cost $1.6 billion but the budget has since blown out to at least $2.1 billion, with Spanish contractor Acciona suggesting it could go up further.

It was meant to be finished in 2019 but the company building it now expects it to be completed by May 2020.

The committee, chaired by Christian Democrat Reverend Fred Nile, also recommended the government review the exemptions provided to projects deemed "critical state significant infrastructure".

The "state significant" tag was likened to a "Trojan horse" by resident Andrew Jordan when he gave evidence to the committee in October 2018.

"This critical infrastructure tag was a Trojan horse to let the project get away with blue murder and not be held accountable for what it is and to work and not pay compensation to small businesses and residents," Mr Jordan said at the time.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance described the light rail project as "without doubt one of the most intensive, intrusive builds" in the state's history.

But he argued the government was already implementing many of the recommendations contained in Friday's report.

Mr Constance said the coalition would consider the request for an auditor-general review of the PPP process but noted it was a business model he believed in.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Jodi McKay said while the private sector was integral to building state infrastructure the government had taken the PPP process too far by outsourcing critical aspects of projects.

"Government can't build projects but government should operate a project and government should be responsible for the way a contract performs," Ms McKay said in an interview.

"There are major issues with the way the government has determined these public-private partnerships."

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https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1088651019473498112

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The Australian --> Berejiklian's $600m light rail deal to settle feud

The Berejiklian government is preparing to pay Spanish contractor Acciona more than $600 million in a settlement to resolve the dispute at the heart of its Sydney CBD light rail project.

Such a settlement would drag the total cost of the light rail ­towards the $3 billion mark.

The Australian revealed last April that Acciona was seeking $1.2bn from the NSW government on the basis that it had not revealed the amount of work ­required to rip up and replace power lines in the CBD's George Street.

The dispute threatens to blow out the $2.1bn price tag on the project from Sydney's city to the southeast, past the SCG and Royal Randwick Racecourse, with the $2.1bn already fully committed to the project.

The project, intended to be open before the March state election, is running a year late.

Now the NSW government is preparing to part with hundreds of millions of dollars to draw a line under the affair, The Australian understands.

Since the dispute erupted, Transport Minister Andrew Constance has lashed the Spanish contractor over its pursuit of extra funds, but it seems in recent times the two parties have been at the negotiating table.

Mr Constance confirmed that negotiations were under way but declined to comment on the amount being offered to Acciona.

"Over recent months, the civil contractor has turned the project around and good inroads have been made. Final touches are being made to the major civil work," Mr Constance said yesterday. "Transport for NSW continues to negotiate constructively. These negotiations will continue.

"Track slab is complete and rail is now pretty much laid. George Street is now largely open, with the exception of where the installation of light rail stops are occurring and completion of a small number of construction zones.

"Testing has now commenced of the trams at Randwick.

"I am pleased with the progress civil construction company Acciona has been making on the project in recent months."

Such rhetoric is a far cry from his past assertions that subcontractors were holding the tax­payers of NSW to "ransom".

Acciona, which reports to a ­private-sector consortium known as ALTRAC, sent a letter to Transport for NSW on February 22 last year warning of Supreme Court ­action. In response, on March 22, Mr Constance wrote: "The NSW government is very unhappy with your performance in relation to the construction of the Sydney light rail project."

He described NSW as an "unhappy customer" and "now an angry customer".

"You will also be aware that the contract between Transport for NSW and ALTRAC, and in turn the contract between ­ALTRAC and Acciona, spells out how the risks of dealing with utilities for the construction of the light rail are to be managed," he wrote.

Acciona, however, has claimed "misleading or deceptive conduct", ­alleging that financial agreements for building the project were signed on February 27, 2015, just before the caretaker ­period before the March 2015 state election.

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Canberratimes --> NSW settles with Acciona over light rail

The consortium building Sydney's eastern suburbs light rail project will receive up to $576 million extra from the NSW government under a settlement deal.

The coalition reached the agreement after ALTRAC's subcontractor Acciona launched legal action in the NSW Supreme Court alleging it was misled over the complexity of the project.

Acciona was seeking more than $1.1 billion but has now agreed to withdraw the claim.

"While Transport for NSW's position is that there was never any basis for this claim, the settlement and restructure package avoids significant legal costs to taxpayers and puts the focus of all parties back on delivering the project," a TfNSW spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.

The settlement - with ALTRAC, Acciona and other subcontractors Alstom and Transdev - includes an agreement on a new timetable for the start of light rail services.

"The package is expected to reach financial close in the coming days," the spokesperson said.

Up to $129 million will only be paid once milestones are met, including the start of passenger services between Circular Quay and Randwick from December 2019, and between Circular Quay and Kingsford by March 2020.

Monday's announcement means the total cost of the project has now blown out to at least $2.7 billion.

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https://twitter.com/AndrewConstance/status/1136569670134353920

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Sydney Morning Herald --> 'A fantastic milestone' as first tram in 60 years rolls along George Street

Sydney has marked a milestone after a tram glided along George Street for the first time in more than 60 years.

Flanked by workers and police cars, the tram rolled past Sydney's Town Hall in the early hours of Tuesday morning as the light rail tested its new service in the city's centre.

"This marks the first tram on George St since 1958," Sydney Light Rail said, reminding pedestrians to be mindful of the trams as they enter testing.

Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance said it was "a fantastic milestone as Sydney Light Rail progresses towards passenger service".

"We got it to Town Hall and what a relief after all the construction we have seen," Mr Constance said. "It's a big sign that we're not far off now."

Passenger trips are set to begin on the light rail by December on the first leg of the line between Circular Quay and Randwick in the city's east. The second stage from Randwick to Kingsford will open months later in March next year.

This week's test run is a significant marker for the project, which has been marred by repeated cost overruns and delays.

It comes several weeks after the Berejiklian government brought an end to a stand-off with the consortium delivering the project and its Spanish construction contractor in a settlement worth $576 million.

The two parties had been locked in a dispute over allegations the government had not told the contractors that it had not worked out how to manage crucial power cables in the CBD when the contracts were signed.

Rerouting those cables was responsible for some of the delays to the light rail construction.

But the contractors are not guaranteed to receive the entire settlement figure. About $130 million of the settlement will only be made to ALTRAC if it meets its new deadlines.

When the project was first announced, it was slated to be finished by March this year.

A $400 million class action from retailers disrupted by construction of the light rail line remains afoot in the NSW Supreme Court.

Tram tests will continue in Randwick, Moore Park, Surry Hills and Chalmers Street outside Central Station as the line gears up for paying passengers.

[ozbob]

Sydney tram testing reaches Circular Quay: https://t.co/1Jb8RWyAN0 pic.twitter.com/qLrnmy8XrX

— Rail Express (@RailExpressNews) July 31, 2019

[ozbob]

They are finally tram testing in front of our office!!! #longawaited #tramtesting #tramnerds @sydneylightrail pic.twitter.com/3kePBdvC12

— Sarah Wiley (@SarahWiley8) August 22, 2019

[ozbob]

What an exciting day for Sydney, with the first light rail daytime test all the way to Circular Quay. Passenger services are just around the corner. @GladysB #SydneyLightRail pic.twitter.com/uKkMjSqN3v

— Andrew Constance MP (@AndrewConstance) August 28, 2019

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstSyd/status/1174949961043021825