Roads Australia members ACCIONA, CPB Contractors and Ghella have put pen to paper on the first Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) tunnelling contract, with construction set to begin in 2026.
The $3.6 billion contract includes the construction of a 16-kilometre section of SRL East’s 26-kilometre twin tunnels, including tunnelling between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, two new underground station boxes and construction works at the Southern Stabling Yard.
Overall SLR East is expected to create 8,000 direct jobs as it delivers six new underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill – reducing travel times and congestion and connecting people to new housing, employment and health and education services in Melbourne’s east and south-east.
SRL East will be one of the most sustainable infrastructure construction projects in Australia’s history, with the four TBMs to be powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity and total emissions from construction to be 20 per cent below industry standard.
Skilled workers and training will also benefit from SRL East, with at least 12 per cent of hours to be worked by trainees, apprentices and cadets.
Construction is progressing across the SRL East corridor, with works in Burwood underway to build the TBM launch site. Under the tunnel contract, most ground preparation works required to excavate safety cross passages between the twin tunnels will be managed underground, reducing impacts on local residents, schools and roads.
The two other bidders for the Cheltenham to Glen Waverley Package will now compete for the second tunnelling package between Glen Waverley and Box Hill, with that contract to be awarded in 2024.
In a separate package of works, two consortia have been shortlisted for the Linewide Alliance contract to build the fleet of high-tech SRL trains and signalling system, and to operate and maintain the SRL East network – with the contract set to be awarded in 2025.
What our members said
ACCIONA CEO Australia and NZ and RA Treasurer Bede Noonan said “Our business has been successfully developing, delivering, constructing, and maintaining major complex projects for over 100 years in Australia. We are proud to be playing our part, alongside CPB Contractors and Ghella, to continue to enhance the lives of Victorians through sustainable infrastructure solutions.”
CPB Contractors Managing Director Jason Spears said: “Working collaboratively with the Victorian Government and Suburban Rail Loop Authority, CPB Contractors is committed to supporting residents, local communities and businesses, by providing Victorians with every opportunity to benefit from the social, employment, skills and sustainability outcomes this project will create.”
Ghella’s Australian Managing Director, Marco Fontana, said “This milestone holds great significance for Ghella as it signifies our inaugural venture into the state of Victoria. With our extensive global experience, we are excited to join forces with our long-standing partners, CPB and Acciona, on this project that promises to bring a profound and positive impact to the residents of Melbourne through critical transport connections.”
