Sydney Metro has awarded a contract to deliver rail and overhead infrastructure, train stabling and tunnel and underground equipment, for the future railway between Chatswood and Sydenham.
An unincorporated joint venture of CPB Contractors and UGL – both subsidiaries of CIMIC Group – won the $1.376 billion deal this week.
The winning bidder was selected from a shortlist announced in March, which also included a Laing O’Rourke and John Holland joint venture, and a Downer EDI and RCR O’Donnell Griffin joint venture.
Sydney Metro City & Southwest is the second stage of the Sydney Metro program, following on from the Sydney Metro Northwest project, which is due to complete in 2019.
The second-stage project will extend Sydney’s new metro-style rail line from Chatswood to Bankstown.
It requires greenfield construction from Chatswood to Sydenham, via the Sydney CBD. Existing track will be converted between Sydenham and Bankstown to complete the metro route.
With work underway to build the twin 15.5-kilometre tunnels from Chatswood to Sydenham, Sydney Metro said the new contract would turn those tunnels into a working railway.
Dubbed the ‘Metro line-wide works’ contract, it includes:
- 31 kilometres of underground railway track to be laid in the twin railway tunnels from Chatswood to Sydenham;
- 31 kilometres of overhead power equipment and 11 new substations to power the metro from Chatswood to Bankstown;
- Installation of over 350km of high voltage, low voltage and tunnel service cabling;
- Connecting the railway tracks from the end of Sydney Metro at Chatswood to the new tracks into the city;
- The expansion of the Sydney Metro Trains Facility at Rouse Hill to accommodate 37 new trains for Sydney Metro City & Southwest;
- The construction of the Sydney Metro Trains Facility – South at Marrickville; and,
- Installation of tunnel equipment such as ventilation, drainage and emergency evacuation and monitoring equipment as well as the fit out of the tunnel ventilation and high voltage equipment in the seven new underground stations.
The $1.376 billion metro line-wide works deal is the latest contract awarded for Sydney Metro City & Southwest, following the award of the $2.81 billion tunnelling contract, the $301 million deal to upgrade Sydenham station, the $955 million contract to build new platforms and tunnels at Central Station, a $380 million contract to build the integrated metro station at Martin Place, and the $87 million lift and escalator contract.
Major contracts yet to be awarded include the metro train operations deal, the contract to upgrade the track between Sydenham and Bankstown, and station and development contracts for Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Pitt Street and Waterloo.
The Victoria Cross station and development contract was shortlisted this March, with Lendlease Development, a joint venture of John Holland and Charter Hall, and Dexus Funds Management in the running.
Formally established as a statutory authority in July 2018, Sydney Metro is delivering metro projects on behalf of the NSW Government. It is currently in charge of delivering the Sydney Metro Northwest, Sydney Metro City & Southwest, and Sydney Metro West projects.
Final work is underway to convert the Epping-Chatswood railway so Sydney Metro Northwest can open early in 2019.
Sydney Metro City & Southwest has a planned completion date of 2024.
No formal timeline has been established for Sydney Metro West, which will connect the Parramatta and Sydney CBDs with another new metro line.