Suburban Rail Loop progresses further towards major construction

The massive Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) development in Victoria is forging ahead as Expressions of Interest for several work packages for SRL East are set to open this year. 

This milestone will bring the State’s largest infrastructure investment (to date) a step closer to being built and creating up to 8,000 jobs during its construction phase. 

This Expressions of Interest stage is for the design, construction, and 15-year operation and maintenance of all tunnel systems and infrastructure for SRL East. The new contracts will include the delivery of trains, tracks, signalling and communication systems as well as the maintenance depot and stabling facility. 

In September last year, three industry leaders were shortlisted to build the twin tunnels as part of SRL East. The three shortlisted builders include: 

• CPB Contractors, Acciona Construction Australia and Ghella 
• John Holland and Gamuda Berhad (trading as Gamuda (Australia) Branch) 
• Webuild S.p.A and GS Engineering and Construction Australia 

Two bidders will be chosen for the tunnelling works. The first contract will be for the Cheltenham to Glen Waverley section and the second will be for the Glen Waverley to Box Hill section. The contract for the Cheltenham to Glen Waverley section is going to be awarded in late 2023, with works expected to begin in 2026. On the other hand, the contract for the Glen Waverley to Box Hill section is set to be awarded in 2024. 

All other major contracts for SRL East are anticipated to be awarded by 2025. 

“Victorians recognise Suburban Rail Loop is the project our growing city and state needs and these major works contracts are a crucial milestone as Suburban Rail Loop steams ahead. 

“Suburban Rail Loop won’t just transform our public transport system – slashing travel times and easing congestion – it will help manage how our city grows, creating a long pipeline of jobs and training opportunities. 

“With trains running by 2035, SRL East will open up access to key education, health and employment centres in Melbourne’s east and south east, relieving pressure on roads and slashing congestion and travel times across the network,” Minister for Suburban Rail Loop Jacinta Allan said. 

Early works on SRL East have been carried out since mid-2022 and will continue to ramp up in 2023. This year, works will begin in Glen Waverley, Burwood, Monash, Cheltenham, Box Hill as well as at the new stabling facility in Heatherton. 

These early works will prepare the project for major construction, which will commence in 2026. The first phase of early construction works will involve preparing the launch site for the tunnel boring machines (TBMs), relocation and protection of underground services along with ground improvement works, geotechnical investigations and road upgrades. 

The Suburban Rail Loop Authority is also undertaking a recruitment drive to search for the hundreds of workers needed for the delivery of SRL East. Opportunities include work for engineers, supervisors, planners and environmental experts. 

The work opportunities will focus on encouraging more Indigenous Victorians and women into the industry. 

“This multi-faceted project will reshape how we grow in the decades ahead – creating major employment centres in the middle suburbs with more housing options, services, and open and public space all a short walk from an SRL train station. 

“The Suburban Rail Loop Authority has been engaging with community members, local councils and stakeholders about the opportunities to invest in and revitalise the neighbourhoods around the new stations, and this important precinct planning work will ramp up in 2023,” Suburban Rail Look Authority Chief Executive Frankie Carroll said. 

Suburban Rail Loop map (source: Victoria's Big Build)

The Suburban Rail Loop will deliver a new 90-kilometre rail line with stations at key employment, health, education and retail centres. SRL will ultimately link every major train service from the Frankston Line to the Werribee Line via Melbourne Airport. 

The overall project is going to be delivered in four stages – SRL East, SRL North, SRL West and SRL Airport – with two of the four stages (SRL East and SRL Airport) already under construction. 

SRL will also include three transport super hubs at Clayton, Broadmeadows and Sunshine. These transport super hubs will enable passengers from outside Melbourne to get to work, school and access healthcare in the suburbs by connecting regional services. 

SRL East is estimated to cost between $30 to $34.5 billion to build. The State Government has already committed $11.8 billion towards the project, while the Australian Government has invested an initial $2.2 billion. Meanwhile, SRL Airport is already fully funded through a partnership between the two levels of government. 

Not only will the Suburban Rail Loop transform the way Victorians move around, but it will also generate thousands of jobs across the State – starting with construction, as SRL East and SRL North are expected to support up to 24,000 jobs. 

Source: Infrastructure Magazine; Victoria’s Big Build – Suburban Rail Loop (1, 2)