- Published:
- Thursday 22 September 2016
Work on the Metro Tunnel – the biggest public transport project in Victoria’s history – has begun.
Acting Premier and Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, visited the project’s first worksite at Domain today to announce the start of enabling works on the fully-funded $10.9 billion project.
The works are part of the Metro Tunnel early works contract – the first package of works on the project – which was awarded to John Holland in June.
Work has now started on the relocation and protection of up to 100 services under the $324 million contract, which also includes the excavation of 11-storey deep shafts next to Swanston Street to enable the construction of the two new city stations.
The station shafts, due to begin early next year, will be up to 35 metres deep and involve the excavation of 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of soil and rock from beneath the city.
The next stage of the tender process on the biggest works package – the $6 billion Metro Tunnel and Stations PPP – has also been reached, with the Request for Proposal now released to the three world-class shortlisted bidders.
The Metro Tunnel’s huge boost to services is desperately needed. New data released today shows the proportion of overcrowded peak services on the Cranbourne-Pakenham line jumped nine per cent in the past year – more than any other line.
The Government also has again called on the Turnbull Government not to break their promise on asset recycling and provide the full 15 per cent to help Victoria build more road and rail connections.
Victoria is home to 25 per cent of Australia’s population and is the country’s fastest growing state, yet receives just nine per cent of national infrastructure funding from the Federal Liberal Government.
This broken promise would be yet another indication that Victoria is on its own under the Turnbull Government.
For more information about this city-shaping project, visit metrotunnel.vic.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Acting Premier Jacinta Allan
“The Metro Tunnel is fully funded, fully planned, and work has begun.”
“This is Australia’s most important public transport project, freeing up space on our busiest lines and allowing us to run more trains, more often, all over Melbourne.”
“Malcolm Turnbull should keep his promise to Victorians and help us deliver even more critical transport infrastructure. You can’t have one rule for New South Wales, and a different one for Victoria.”