NSW opens revamped transport management centre

The NSW Government has announced the reopening of its Transport Management Centre (TMC) after a $10 million upgrade designed to boost its capability to manage traffic flow and incident response.

It is the most significant upgrade to the TMC since it opened in 1999 ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. When it opened, the TMC managed around 70 incidents a day. Now it handles upwards of 700, coordinating rapid response across roads and the transport network, using traffic lights, a network of cameras, variable message signs, traffic response crews and tow trucks. It also coordinates replacement services and major events transport.

At the same time, daily road travel in Greater Sydney has grown by around 30% and the size of the NSW road network has increased by around 18%.

The revamped TMC includes a 23 m digital screen wall streaming live feeds from across the state, said to be one of the largest of its kind in Australia. The larger screen allows the TMC team to display content including live CCTV feeds, network data and analytics, and other content to improve situational awareness. This is critical during disruptions, major weather events and bushfires.

Drone pilot stations with beyond-visual-line-of-sight capability allow crews to direct an immediate response to major incidents in any part of the state.

The centre also includes a 55% increase in workspaces in the main operations room with improved lighting and amenities, and upgraded communications technology for faster public and media updates.

The hub at Eveleigh is home to 123 onsite staff working around the clock, with a further 320 staff across NSW. The expanded control room will also allow recruitment of new team members ahead of the opening of Western Sydney International Airport in 2026.

The government says the work is part of a broader plan to strengthen the state’s transport coordination systems, with future work to include a new tunnel operations centre and modernisation of the Regional Transport Operations Centre in Northern NSW.

“The Transport Management Centre is the state’s traffic and transport nerve centre, and this upgrade gives it the increased capacity and technology it needs for the future,” said NSW Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison. “When there’s an incident on our roads, rail or waterways, every second counts and this is the place that keeps NSW moving.

“With new drone feeds, enhanced live traffic updates and boosted coordination, the upgraded TMC will help our teams respond faster, especially during major events, emergencies and natural disasters.”

Image credit: iStock.com/zetter