Metro Tunnel Construction Ahead Of Schedule
27 February 2018
Victorian Government:
Victoria’s biggest ever public
transport project the
Metro Tunnel is on track to open a year earlier
than expected.
The Andrews Labor Government today released the $6 billion ‘Tunnel and
Stations’
PPP contract, which reveals the project is on track to be
complete by the end of 2025, with new High Capacity Metro Trains running
through the Metro Tunnel a year ahead of schedule.
Final contracts were signed in December with the Cross Yarra Partnership
– a consortium led by
Lendlease Engineering,
John Holland,
Bouygues
Construction and
Capella Capital.
The Metro Tunnel will untangle the City Loop by taking three of
Melbourne’s busiest train lines – Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury – out
of the Loop and running them through the new
tunnel, creating space for
more trains, more often across the network.
The contract outlines that that tunnels and stations will be complete in
September 2024, which will allow the track and signalling work to
connect the tunnels to the existing
rail corridors to be complete by the
end of 2025.
Whilst the project is ahead of schedule, there will be challenges to be
managed to ensure the project is completed safely and on time.
Last week, St Kilda Road was reduced to one lane of traffic between
Kings Way and Dorcas Street and from tomorrow Grattan Street will close
in both directions for up to five years so the new Parkville Station can
be built.
The Metro Tunnel project will create 7,000 jobs for Victorians,
including 791 apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets working as
part of the Tunnels and Stations package.
The Labor Government has already created more than 3,500 opportunities
for apprentices, trainees and cadets to work on Victoria’s biggest
projects and give them the valuable on-the-job training to further their
careers.
Nearly 800 apprentices, trainees and cadets are working right now across
25 major projects. On the Metro Tunnel, they’ve clocked up 69,000 hours
and are expected to complete 1.2 million hours on the project.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“The Metro Tunnel is ahead of schedule, creating thousands of jobs and
giving hundreds of apprentices a head start on their careers.”
“This project will create space to run more trains, more often, right
across Melbourne. We’re getting it done.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta
Allan
“The biggest risk to this project is the Victorian Liberals who have
said they will renegotiate this contract – delaying the project for
years, costing billions and stopping more trains running more often.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Industry and Employment Ben
Carroll
“We’re making sure Victorian apprentices, trainees and engineering
cadets reap the benefits of our massive pipeline of major projects like
the Metro Tunnel which are putting local jobs and businesses first.”
--ENDS--
Source: Victorian Government - www.premier.vic.gov.au
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