Fire Hydrants Dispute Finally Resolved For $32 Million As Metro Southwest Moves Closer To Opening

One of the most contentious safety issues holding up Sydney Metro’s Bankstown conversion appears to have been resolved, with Sydney Metro agreeing to install fire hydrants on station platforms after years of concerns raised by Fire and Rescue NSW.

The agreement marks a significant turning point for the Metro Southwest project, which will convert the former T3 Bankstown Line into part of Sydney’s driverless metro network and has already left commuters relying on replacement buses for almost two years.

The hydrant issue first came to public attention in 2025 when it was revealed Fire and Rescue NSW had been objecting to the absence of platform hydrants at stations along the Sydenham-to-Bankstown corridor.

At the time, firefighters argued the stations did not provide adequate access to water in the event of a serious blaze, with concerns reportedly dating back to 2018.

Now, according to reporting by The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Metro has agreed to carry out additional works to install hydrants at stations along the line, ending a dispute that had become one of the final hurdles facing the project’s opening. The works will reportedly cost approximately $32 million.

The resolution follows months of uncertainty over when passengers would finally be able to use the converted rail line. The Metro Southwest project was initially expected to open much earlier, but a series of construction, testing and regulatory challenges have repeatedly pushed back completion dates.

When City Hub previously sought answers about the hydrant concerns in 2025, Sydney Metro said safety remained its highest priority and that it was continuing to work closely with emergency services and regulators.

Fire and Rescue NSW’s concerns centred on the practical challenges firefighters could face during an emergency on the lengthy station platforms that have been built as part of the metro conversion. The agency had maintained that dedicated hydrants would improve emergency response capability and help ensure crews could quickly access water if required. The newly agreed solution appears to satisfy those concerns.

The agreement comes almost two years after rail services between Sydenham and Bankstown were suspended to allow conversion of the corridor to metro operations. Since September 2024, passengers have relied on replacement bus services while work on the line has continued.

Once operational, Metro Southwest services are expected to run every four minutes during peak periods, connecting Bankstown directly to the CBD, North Sydney and Chatswood.