Victorian Government has awarded John Holland, CPB Contractors, Aecom and Metro Trains Melbourne the contract for the first package of Sunbury line modernisation, in metropolitan Melbourne.
The AUD 215 million (USD 170.25 million) package will extend platforms, boost accessibility and build new stabling at stations along the Sunbury line.
“The contract has been awarded and work will start within weeks. We’re not wasting a moment delivering these vital upgrades, which will pave the way for new, high-capacity trains on the Sunbury line,” Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, said.
Site investigations for the platform extensions and stabling upgrades will start later this month, with major works on the platform extensions and stabling to begin by the end of the year.
The AUD 2.1 billion (USD 1.43 billion) project for the upgrade of Sunbury line was funded under the Victorian Budget 2018/19. It will deliver platform extensions at every station between Sunbury and Footscray, wheelchair boarding platforms at eight stations, traction power upgrades and improvements to train stabling at Sunbury, Calder Park and Watergardens.
The project will pave the way for the fleet of 65 new high-capacity metro trains (HCMTs) to run all the way to Sunbury when the Metro Tunnel is finished in 2025. The Metro Tunnel will connect the Cranbourne-Pakenham line and the Sunbury line, creating space in the city loop for more services across Melbourne. The HCMTs will be 20 per cent bigger than current trains on the metropolitan network, reducing congestion and carrying more passengers with every trip.
The bigger trains, coupled with the Metro Tunnel, will enable an extra 113,000 peak hour passengers on the Sunbury line each week and slash their journey times by up to 40 minutes a day.
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