AUSTRALIA: The A$1·7bn Tunnels North contract for Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop East was announced by Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority on November 9.
The Terra Verde consortium of Webuild, GS Engineering & Construction and Bouygues Construction Australia will bore twin tunnels from Glen Waverley to Box Hill, launching from Burwood towards Glen Waverley in 2026, and then returning for a second drive north towards Box Hill.
Construction of the underground stations has been divided between two contracts, one covering Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill, with the other for Cheltenham, Clayton and Monash. Three bidders have been shortlisted for these:
- Place Alliance (John Holland, Arup Australia Projects and Kellogg Brown & Root);
- Eastern Stations Precinct Alliance (Lendlease and WSP Australia);
- Connexus Alliance (CPB Contractors, Multiplex and GHD).
The Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill contract is expected to be awarded in 2026, after which the other two shortlisted bidders will compete for the remaining contract.
The Suburban Connect Consortium of Acciona, CPB Contractors and Ghella was awarded the tunnelling contract for the Glen Waverley – Cheltenham section in December 2023. SRL East has work underway at all six station sites and at the train stabling facility in Heatherton. Services are due to start running in 2035.
