The final bids for the A$6bn Melbourne Metro Tunnel and Stations Public Private Partnership (PPP) have been received, and are being assessed by the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority. The bids are from three shortlisted consortia that include some of the biggest construction firms in Australia and around the world. They are:
- Continuum Victoria – comprising ACCIONA Infrastructure, Ferrovial Agroman, Honeywell, Downer EDI and Plenary Origination
- Cross Yarra Partnership – comprising Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital
- Moving Melbourne Together – comprising Pacific Partnerships, CPB Contractors, Ghella, Salini Impregilo, Serco and Macquarie Capital
Their proposals include more than 100,000 pages of detailed plans to build the nine-kilometre Metro Tunnel and five new underground stations at Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain.
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At the same time, early works on the $10.9 billion mega-project have received formal planning approval, and will ramp up over the coming months.
Piling rigs are now on site at Franklin and A’Beckett Streets and from tomorrow construction crews will begin driving massive concrete poles deep into the ground. These concrete poles will reinforce the walls of the 35m-deep shaft where the new underground station will be built.
Early work will also ramp up at City Square over the coming months to build another underground station, which will have a direct connection to Flinders Street Station, the City Loop and the rest of the train network.
Building the Metro Tunnel will create at least 4,700 local jobs – part of the tens of thousands of jobs that are being created by the Labor Government’s record investment in major transport projects.
A contract for the PPP is expected to be awarded by the end of the year, in time for construction on the Tunnels and Stations package to begin in 2018.
Acting Premier and Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said, “The bids are in, early works are approved and we’re getting on with building the Metro Tunnel – to run more trains, more often right across Melbourne.”
“The best construction firms in Australia and around the world are lining up to build the biggest rail project in Victoria’s history.”
“After four wasted years under the lazy Liberals, we’re getting on with the Metro Tunnel to get people home safer and sooner.”
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