Melbourne Metro tunnel: Three construction consortia bid to build project

THREE construction consortia have bid to build the new $6 billion Metro Tunnel and five new stations, with the State Government insisting it must look good.

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THREE construction consortia have bid to build the new $6 billion Metro Tunnel and five new stations.

Lendlease Engineering, Spanish giant ACCIONA Infrastructure and Pacific Partnership are each leading bids to build the majority of the 10km tunnel in a public-private partnership.

The Cross-Yarra partnership led by Lendlease has French construction giant Bouygues and Capella Capital on the bid — which were all the successful bidders for the East-West road tunnel before it was scrapped.

ACCIONA leads the Continuum Victoria bid and Pacific Partnerships leads the Moving Melbourne Together proposal which includes CPB Contractors, Serco and Macquarie Capital.

An artist impression of the Metro Tunnel.

A boring machine like the one that will be used todig out the Melbourne Metro Rail Tunnel.

Each consortia’s proposal for the Metro Tunnel had more than 100,000 pages and the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority will assess the bids before awarding the contract at the end of the year.

The tunnel will connect South Kensington and South Yarra with the creation of new stations at Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain.

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority chief executive Evan Tattersall said each bid would be evaluated not only for the functionality of the tunnel and its stations but design aspects above and below ground.

“It is a balance of how it will look and feel with how it actually operates and what it will cost to deliver.”

“There are a range of issues around social benefit and environmental and safety issues as well — it is far more than just price.”

Each bid has included what it would plan to build above the stations and the fitout of the station’s themselves.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan. Picture: Sarah Matray

Public Transport minister Jacinta Allan said the government had asked for designs that would leave a legacy on the city.

“We are determined to have a an operating train system that runs more trains but one that also looks good and meets the needs of Melbourne into the future.”

Piling rigs are now on site at Franklin and A’Beckett Streets and from Monday construction crews will begin driving massive concrete poles deep into the ground — as part of the early stages of construction.

These concrete poles will reinforce the walls of the 35 metre-deep shaft where the new underground station will be built.

Last week the Herald Sun revealed the federal government was considering some start-up funds for a Melbourne airport rail link and also money for regional rail services.

Ms Allan said the tunnel project needed to be finished before more trains could run through the city — including services for a possible airport rail link.

She said she had regular conversation with federal infrastructure minister Darren Chester about Victorian projects which could attract federal funding.

She said the Commonwealth had $1.4 billion as part of the asset recycling scheme which was promised to Victoria.

Opposition public transport minister David Hodgett said the Metro Tunnel had not yet been designed or fully funded.

He said the tunnel should include an interchange with the South Yarra station.

“The government needs to tell Victorians how they are going to pay for this project,” he said.

“We would urge Daniel Andrews to get the planning right build the South Yarra interchange rather than rushing out and announcing tenderers before the design has been finalised.”

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