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Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd (ARTC) today signed the contract for the North Coast Improvement Alliance with Transport Express Alliance, a joint venture between Barclay Mowlem Construction Limited and Balfour Beatty Australia Pty Ltd.
The three year project valued in excess of $200 million forms part of ARTC’s Major Works Program and is focused on the renewal, rehabilitation and enhancement of rail and civil infrastructure along the North Coast corridor.
North Coast Improvement Alliance works will include the extension, new construction and upgrade of crossing loops, track improvements, structural works including bridge rehabilitation and operational works, aimed at improving transit time, reliability, capacity and yield above and below rail.
“This is a very significant upgrade for the North Coast Line that will deliver a reliable track to operators and is estimated to lift rail’s market share by 118% over the next 10 years from Sydney to Brisbane,” David Marchant CEO of ARTC said.
“Transit time will be reduced Sydney/ Brisbane for 1500 metre superfreighters from 19 hours 22 minutes to 15 hours 30 minutes with reliable daily movement each way,” David Marchant said.
Barclay Mowlem’s Infrastructure Group General Manager, Mr Bill Killinger, said that the Transport Express Alliance is delighted to have been selected for this strategically important infrastructure upgrade.
“We look forward to working with ARTC on this exciting multi-million dollar project that will re-invigorate Australia’s east coast rail freight network.”
“Transport Express Alliance possesses unique multi-disciplinary capabilities, international experience and extensive resources including specialist plant that are essential to successfully delivering a project of this scale,” said Mr Killinger.
The contract was signed today by David Marchant CEO of ARTC, David Hudson Managing Director Barclay Mowlem and Jim Theodore for Balfour Beatty Australia. Details of works include:
Extending or building 15 crossing loops of 1500 metre lengths
Upgrading of 18 existing 1500 metre loops
Maximizing of train speeds through installation of new concrete sleepers on less than 800 metre radius curves
Upgrading level crossings and various bridge rehabilitation and strengthening, and.
Extensive rail condition improvements that will minimise life cycle track maintenance costs.
Works are expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2005 and will be undertaken by Barclay Mowlem’s newly formed Infrastructure Group, whose expertise and resources cover the wide scope of works. The works are scheduled for completion in late 2008.
“ARTC is pleased with the Alliance framework as it provides certainty with regards to the rates and availability of resources for a diverse range of projects and enables a partnership approach with the alliance provider in the delivery of a significant programme,” David Marchant said.
“The contract signing marked the third of the Alliance relationships ARTC is developing for the rail upgrades and follows the signing of the Northern Signalling Alliance on 5 September between ARTC and Union Switch and Signal Pty Ltd and the South Alliance signed last Friday with the Australian Rail Consortium In all ARTC will invest $1.4 billion in upgrading the North South Rail system
Barclay Mowlem and joint venture partner, Balfour Beatty Rail have delivered more than $3 billion of large, multi-disciplinary rail and civil projects in the last seven years. Both companies have been responsible for delivering thousands of kilometres of track and associated railway systems on some of the world’s highest profile and busiest railway systems.
Barclay Mowlem is one of Australia’s leading multi-disciplined construction and engineering companies and has a strong presence in the rail infrastructure sector in Australia, South East Asia and the Asia Pacific Rim. The Company has a successful track record in delivering award-winning railway infrastructure design, construction and maintenance projects. Over the past five years Barclay Mowlem has undertaken the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway, Thornlie Rail Extension, construction and ongoing maintenance of Hong Kong’s Tseung Kwan O Line and six major contracts as part of the Taiwan High Speed Railway.
Balfour Beatty is the world’s leading fixed rail infrastructure contractor with annual sales of over £750 million and a forward order book well in excess of £1 billion. It has substantial market positions in a number of national rail markets including UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Hong Kong and Singapore.
3 November 2005
Further Information:
Prue Regan ARTC 8259 0716 or 0419 297 004
David Marchant CEO ARTC 0419 733 201
Helen Sotiriadis, BMCL Corporate Communications Manager, 0419 024 750