The Victorian Government has ordered nine more six-car metro trains from Alstom’s Ballarat facility, to keep the stream of new metro rollingstock flowing until the 65-train HCMT project takes over in 2019.
Alstom was one of two shortlisted manufacturers to miss out on the High Capacity Metro Trains contract, which was awarded to a Downer/CRRC/Plenary alliance on September 12.
But it wasn’t all bad news on Monday for the French multinational, with Victorian public transport minister Jacinta Allan announcing the 54-carriage deal, which will keep the supply of new metro trains flowing, and should keep Alstom’s Ballarat facility engaged until at least 2019.
Allan said the new order is part of the Government’s long term strategy to create a pipeline of sustainable, local train and tram building and maintenance work around Victoria.
“We’re guaranteeing local jobs at Alstom in Ballarat and the broader supply chain in Victoria,” Allan said on Monday.
The nine newly-ordered trains will be more of Alstom’s X’Trapolis model, the single deck electric multiple unit train which the manufacturer has supplied to Melbourne’s metropolitan railways since 2002.
Allan said the nine additional trains made it 19 six-car X’Trapolis trains ordered since the Andrews Government came to office; “more than $300 million of work”.
Once the ninth train is built from this deal, there will be 101 X’Trapolis trains on Melbourne’s network.
“We’re getting on with improving public transport, building the infrastructure we need like the Metro Tunnel and new trains, to keep Victoria moving,” Allan said.
Member for Wendouree Sharon Knight added: “I’m really proud of the quality of work the employees at Alstom’s Ballarat workshops turn out and of the contribution Alstom makes to our local community.
“These nine new trains, built in Ballarat for Melbourne, secures local jobs for years to come.”