Mike Baird, Premier of New South Wales, Australia, and Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian announced on 24 June that the 8.3 billion Australian dollar North West Rail Link automated metro in Sydney has reached its most important milestone yet, with a preferred operator selected to run the new rapid transit service.

The preferred operator, the Northwest Rapid Transit consortium, has been selected as to deliver the project’s operations contract. This consortium is made up of: MTR Corporation (Australia), John Holland, Leighton Contractors, UGL Rail Services and Plenary Group.

“This is a landmark moment for the North West Rail Link and the NSW Government will now work with the Northwest Rapid Transit consortium to further negotiate and finalise this multi-billion-dollar contract, which is expected to be awarded later this year,” Mr Baird said.

“This will be one of the biggest Public Private Partnerships ever awarded in the history of NSW – and shows again how hard the NSW Government is working to ease congestion and get this state moving.”

The Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) contract includes:

• Building the eight brand new railway stations;
• Delivering 4,000 commuter car parking spaces;
• Supplying Sydney’s new generation, fully-automated rapid transit trains;
• Building and operating the stabling and maintenance facility at Tallawong Road;
• Installing tracks, signalling, mechanical and electrical systems;
• Upgrading and converting the railway between Epping to Chatswood to rapid transit status; and
• Operating the North West Rail Link – including all maintenance work.

Ms Berejiklian said that due to the highly commercial nature of ongoing discussions with the preferred consortium, the NSW Government will be in a position to provide more detail about Northwest Rapid Transit’s proposal when the contracts are signed later this year.

The NSW Government will pay the successful operator to run the North West Rail Link and meet customer service contract requirements like running trains on time and making sure they are clean. The Government will set and control fares.

Source: press release of Mike Baird MP, Premier of NSW, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Western Sydney

 
Video: North West Rail Link – The trains

More on North West Rail Link: http://metroautomation.org/sydney-to-get-australias-first-fully-automated-metro/