Metro Trains Sydney - Operational Readiness Integrated Delivery Team

Network Rail Consulting (NRC) was appointed in August 2022 to provide an integrated delivery team, embedded within the MTS organisation to support operational readiness for the fully automated City and Southwest line.

Recognising resource needs evolve as the construction, testing and commissioning of the new network progressed, NRC was engaged to provide support across three key phases:

• Mobilisation: Provision of an initial team to review the current state of operational readiness and aid in developing the plan and pathway to trial running and first passenger service;
• Business Readiness: NRC team focused on supporting the organisational changes necessary to enable MTS to prepare itself for the expanded operation of its network; and
• Operational Realisation: Production of the key deliverables for operational readiness, particularly readiness for, and execution of a successful trial running program before moving to first passenger service in 2024.

NRC provided senior resources as part of an integrated and collaborative delivery team to support MTS in the building and delivery of a program of operational readiness activities.

The NRC team nominally consisted of:

• Transition Director (also a member of the MTS Executive);
• Project Management Office (PMO) Team (Program Manager, Project Coordinator);
• Stations & Customer Lead;
• Operations Advisors;
• Customer & Stakeholder Manager;
• Performance Analyst; and
• Operating Model Advisor (staff rostering and planning).

As the project moved through the different phases of operational readiness (construction, testing & commissoing, asset handover, trial running, etc.) NRC’s team continued to evolve to meet the emerging needs of MTS.

Milestones Achieved

NRC commenced operational readiness support to MTS in August 2022, and our team continued to evolve through our engagement as the project moved through dynamic train testing and into the preparation of trial running.

Key milestones and activities supported by the NRC team through this engagement with MTS included:

• Aiding the restructuring of the organisation to enable the business to have its own resources in place for the integration of the City and Southwest line into service operations;
• Establishing the operational readiness governance framework, mobilising the working groups and teams to deliver the key deliverables and management plans necessary to demonstrate operational readiness;
• Working closely with the Systems Integrator, MTR (a 60% shareholder in MTS), supporting business and project readiness for the commencement of dynamic train testing, a significant milestone in the project;
• Development of the augmented performance monitoring system underpinning the network performance reporting tied into revenue generation;
• Review of the organisation operating model, approach to staff rostering, organisation roles and responsibilities and implementation of a supporting planning and rostering system; and
• Taking on a leading role in the development, delivery and management of the trial running program, a core focus of the operational readiness team to support a major project milestone.