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SRL East works contract awarded

Construction on Melbourne’s SRL East (Suburban Rail Loop) will start next year, with the contract for the first phase of works – creating up to 800 early direct jobs – awarded to global construction and engineering firm Laing O’Rourke. 

SRL East will deliver 26 kilometre twin tunnels and six underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill. Taking passengers by 2035, SRL East will transform Melbourne’s transport network and better connect people to jobs, health, education and each other. 

The first phase of early construction includes preparing sites for the launch of tunnel boring machines, moving and protecting underground services, and undertaking ground improvements, geotechnical investigations and road modifications. 

The work delivers outstanding opportunities for Victorian businesses and workers to be involved in this city-shaping project, with the contract locking in more than 95 per cent local content – well above the Victorian Government target. 

Around 14 per cent of the total hours will be undertaken by Victorian apprentices, trainees or cadets, with opportunities for women, Aboriginal and disadvantaged Victorians – contributing to the next generation of highly skilled workers. 

SRL East will deliver immediate benefits for people in Melbourne’s south east and the Gippsland region when it opens in 2035. By 2036, there’ll be around 70,000 daily trips on SRL East – with nearly half of passengers shifting from their cars. 

Preparation for early construction continues to power ahead, with workers drilling more than 12kms of ground and completing geotechnical investigations at more than 630 sites. 

Major construction on SRL East is also a major step closer with $9.3 billion in new funding for major works on SRL East to deliver 26km twin rail tunnels and six underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill as well as investment in new community projects and initiatives in the broader areas around the stations. 

Extensive stakeholder consultation and feedback from more than 20,000 people has informed the design development of SRL East. People can continue to have their say through the SRL East Environment Effects Statement (EES), which is open for public submissions until 16 December. 

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SRL feedback invited