First cars hit $2.1 billion motorway to new international airport planned for Sydney
The M12 Motorway servicing the Western Sydney International Airport has opened. (ABC News: Nandini Dhir)
In short:
Traffic has driven along the new M12 motorway in western Sydney for the first time after four years of construction.
The new toll-free road will service Western Sydney International Airport, due to open in October.
What's next?
The M7 to M12 interchange at Cecil Hill will open mid-year and provide a free connection between the two motorways.
Hundreds of cyclists and a fleet of vintage fire engines have been among the first to hit a $2.1 billion motorway servicing western Sydney's future international airport.
The toll-free M12 motorway. which connects Elizabeth Drive in the east to The Northern Road in the west, opened in the early hours of Saturday morning after four years of construction.
Meanwhile, as work continues on the M7 to M12 interchange at Cecil Hills, the Western Sydney International Airport is on track to open to passengers in October.
The M12 Motorway will reduce travel time to the new airport by 15 minutes. (ABC News)
Transport for NSW secretary, Josh Murray, says the completion of the motorway is a significant milestone.
"This is a great piece of infrastructure for Sydney and completes many of the links that form the network of roads that bring us to the airport," he said.
"It also takes 25,000 cars off local roads, freeing up the other areas of western Sydney so that future passengers coming to western Sydney airport can drive right to the front door on toll-free motorway.
The motorway will service the new airport, which will open to passengers in October. (ABC News: Nandini Dhir)
"That airport will open up western Sydney to the world."
Mr Murray said a convoy of vintage fire engines helped to celebrate the motorway opening.
"The first cars to go through include a historic delegation from Penrith’s Museum of Fire, who couldn’t let the occasion go without bringing some of these amazing fire engines out to run the first link between The Northen Road and Elizabeth Drive," he said.
Penrith's Museum of Fire has an number of vintage fire engines on display. (ABC News Nandini Dhir)
Museum of Fire acting CEO Ben Dickson said some of the vehicles were as much as 80 years old.
He said the volunteers involved in the convoy had been eager to participate in "something momentous".
"The museum plays a very key role in preserving and presenting the history of firefighting but also, importantly, we participate in our community," he said.
Ben Dickson says the M12 opening is a "momentous" occasion. (ABC News: Nandini Dhir)
"[The M12] is a massive piece of infrastructure which is really going to open up connections in Western Sydney. So for, our museum to be a part of that moment and contribute to that history, is really something special for us."
'Serene' cycleway
Cyclists also gave the M12 shared user path their tick of approval.
"It's so serene riding over here," cyclist Pierre D'Cunha said.
"I think it's the best thing that's happened to western Sydney."
Fellow cyclist Martin Hayes said there were hundreds of riders on the path on Saturday, adding that the trail would become his new go-to route.
Pierre D'Cunha (left) and Martin Hayes give the motorway their tick of approval. (ABC News: Nandini Dhir)
"It's absolutely amazing," he said.
The M12 motorway is expected to reduce congestion and travel time to the airport by about 15 minutes.
Five new bus routes are due to open mid-year across Oran Park, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Mount Druitt, Leppington and Penrith to help service the airport.
A new metro line will connect Western Sydney International Airport to St Marys, but will not be ready in time for the airport opening.