Hi-tech platform doors to be fitted to new Melbourne Metro Tunnel stations

A HI-TECH addition to Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel stations will provide a passenger experience similar to the underground networks of London and Singapore.

HI-TECH platform doors will be fitted in Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel to provide a passenger experience similar to the underground networks of London and Singapore.

The Andrews Government has awarded a $23 million contract to design and supply more than 2km of screen doors for the train platforms at the five new stations under construction.

Each underground stop built for the $11 billion project will have floor-to-ceiling toughened glass to protect passengers from oncoming trains and improve ventilation inside the tunnel.

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Sliding doors will then open and close as trains arrive by detecting when the train has safely stopped.

An artist’s impression of the new stations fitted with the platform doors. Picture: Supplied

The technology is used across some of the busiest metro networks in the world including London, Paris and Singapore.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the project would transform Melbourne’s rail network.

“We’re getting on with delivering the world-class public transport system Victoria needs, with platform screen doors, high capacity signalling and turn-up-and-go services,” she said.

“Platform screen doors are the hallmark of metro systems in big cities around the world and now Melbourne’s five new underground stations will be fitted with this hi-tech equipment.”

The contract for the doors was awarded to Faiveley Transport, a French-based subsidiary of Wabtec and parts will be tested locally at a train depot in Pakenham East.

Once completed, the Metro Tunnel will allow 65 high capacity trains to run end to end from Sunbury to Cranbourne and Pakenham and create capacity for another 504,000 peak passengers each week.

Toughened glass will protect passengers from the high-capacity trains as they arrive at stations. Picture: Supplied

High capacity signalling will allow trains to run every two to three minutes and will also control the operation of the platform screen doors.

Construction has ramped up at the sites of the new stations after the final designs for each precinct were unveiled last month.

Dozens of support piles have now been rammed underground in Parkville to allow for a huge excavation effort of rock and soil.

The final major contract for the tunnel has also been awarded to a consortium of John Holland, CPB Contractors and AECOM.

The group will build the tunnel openings at South Yarra and Kensington where train services will enter 9km of twin tunnels.