Passenger Rail

Metro Trains, Yarra Trams to bid for new operator contracts

Metro Trains and Yarra Trams have been issued with Request for Proposals to continue to operate Melbourne’s train and tram networks, respectively, for a seven-year period.

Public Transport Victoria said both operators had satisfied necessary conditions in their current agreements – which come to an end in November 2017 – and the state could therefore enter into exclusive good faith negotiations with both.

In negotiating the new contracts, PTV said the Victorian Government would ask both operators to demonstrate how they will operate a transport system that “not only meets the needs of Melbourne’s growing population, is consistent with international best-practice, but importantly, adopts a culture of safety and service delivery and puts passengers first”.

The operators have been asked to submit their formal proposals by the end of the year.

The Government said it will only consider alternative bidders for the new seven-year deals, if these negotiations do not meet its expectations for delivering better outcomes for passengers.

“We know passengers just want a public transport system that works,” public transport minister Jacinta Allan said.

“This will lift bar on the things that matter to passengers – creating a safe, reliable, accessible network that you can rely on to get you to work on time and home safer and sooner at the end of the day.”