<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> A joint venture between Thiess (50%) John Holland (25%) and Spanish company Dragados (25%) has been awarded the $1.15bn Tunnel and Station Civil Works contract for the North West Rail Link by the New South Wales Government. </span> <p>Under the contract, the TJHD JV will construct twin 15km tunnels from Bella Vista and Epping – the longest tunnels ever built in Australia – and civil works for five of the eight new stations and two service facilities. The stations are Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Showground, Norwest and Bella Vista.</p><p>The first of four custom-made tunnel boring machines (TBM) which will be used to construct the six metre diameter tunnels will be in the ground by the end of next year.</p><p>The tunnel contract is expected to be completed in the first half of 2017. At this point, work will then continue along the 36km length of project to lay tracks, fit out stations and deliver Sydney’s new rapid transit trains.</p><p>Together, Thiess and John Holland have built 70% of Australia’s major underground infrastructure over the last 10 years.</p><p>“Together we have more tunnelling experience in Sydney sandstone than any other contractor and when combined with the international experience of Dragados, we will deliver a fantastic transport outcome for the people of north west Sydney,” Thiess managing director Bruce Munro said.</p><p>Upon announcing the contract the government said due to the massive scale of the entire project and its three-contract structure, the final tunnelling contract value may vary due to ongoing fine-tuning and optimisation involving the two other major contracts, for which tenders have yet to be received.</p><p>Any changes would be covered by in the total $8.3bn project cost, announced by the government last week.<br /><br /> </p>
