Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has added $35 million in funding to provide for on-board high capacity signalling equipment in the 65 high capacity metro trains ordered from a consortium of Downer and CRC earlier this month.
On a visit to Japan, Andrews said Melbourne should strive to build a metro network similar to the system in Tokyo.
“Tokyo’s public transport is reliable, clean and efficient – it’s exactly the kind of world class system we’re building for Melbourne,” Andrews said this week.
“The high capacity signaling technology will go on board our new locally built trains so we can run more trains, more often – and passengers can just turn up and go.”
Andrews said the additional funding was for on-board high capacity signalling equipment “which incorporates key lessons from Tokyo’s subway”.
The technology uses telecommunications between trains and track equipment to enable trains to run closer together, he said.
The first of the new trains under the Downer/CRC contract will be rolled out on the Cranbourne-Pakenham line from 2019.
They are part of the Metro Tunnel project, which Andrews says will provide for an extra 39,000 passengers in each two hour peak.
The tender process is currently underway for the delivery of high capacity signalling as part of the $1 billion Rail Systems Alliance tender for the Metro Tunnel.