Acciona Ferrovial JV wins large Australian twin-tunnel contract
16 July 2021A joint venture between Acciona and Ferrovial has won a contract worth around US$1.47bn which involves the construction of twin 11km tunnels for the central section of the Sydney Metro West Line.
In addition to the tunnels, which will connect Bays Station with Sydney Olympic Park Station – built for the 2000 Olympic Games – the JV’s contract also includes the excavation and civil works for five new stations and auxiliary services.
Work is expected to begin in a few weeks’ time, with tunnelling scheduled for completion by 2025. Four tunnel boring machines will be used, the first of which is due to start excavating by the end of 2022.
As a flagship initiative in sustainability, the project is designed to optimise the alignment of tunnels and stations to reduce overall excavation, remove the amount of trucks used during the construction period, and improve public safety. Further spin-offs will include connecting new housing areas to rail services, and supporting job growth and housing supply: around 1,000 new jobs and an additional 500 trainee positions will be created.
The 24km-long Sydney Metro West line is Australia’s largest public transport project. With a total of 31 stations, it will connect Greater Parramatta with Sydney’s central business district in a journey time of 20 minutes, and transform the city for future generations.
