Safety concerns emerge regarding St Marys metro train line

A proposed change in the structures used for emergency access has prompted concerns about new metro projects, with fears that passengers may not be able to evacuate an emergency situation as quickly due to the use of controversial 'squeezeways' instead of the elevated walkways used in other Sydney systems.

Squeezeways, built into the bottom of the round underground tunnels, are approximately 80cm wide and require individuals to literally squeeze along the side of a train to get out.

The method had been rejected in earlier metro developments but is now reportedly being considered for the new line from St Marys to the incoming Western Sydney airport.

In an emergency situation, passengers with disabilities and ambulatory issues would find it near impossible to exit via a squeezeway. Meanwhile the walkways currently used in other parts of the network are 1 metre wide, feature handrails and are easily accessible by passengers in an emergency situation from any point in the carriage.

Sydney Metro has advised that squeezeways are not built for evacuation, with passengers to depart via the front and back doors of a stuck train - but with a regular number of operational issues regularly affecting the Sydney rail network in recent week, customers are likely to be unconvinced.

“The squeezeway design is a low-level walkway to allow access along the side of the train designed for operational activities and emergency services only, including Fire and Rescue NSW – not for passenger use. Passengers would need to exit from the front or back of a stuck train," Metro advised, per the Guardian.

Despite the insistence that the squeezeways have been designed with safety in mind, there have already been safety concerns raised in the past as agencies look to cut costs on the Metro projects. In January, Sydney Metro was forced to cancel plans to almost double the standard distance between emergency exits on the new line at the behest of Fire and Rescue NSW, who raised serious safety concerns about the proposal, which would have saved $100 million on the project.

The squeezeway decision has also been called a 'value-based solution', although it will still need to earn the approval of safety authorities. The line is expected to open with the airport in 2026.