Alliance awarded $6.7B SRL East package

The Linewide Alliance has been awarded works for the delivery of the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East Linewide package, in Melbourne.

KBR, WSP, Alstom, RATP Dev and John Holland make up the Linewide Alliance (formerly TransitLinX).

This section of the project will see a fully tunnelled, 26-kilometre twin tunnel metro corridor be delivered, which will connect Cheltenham in the south to Box Hill in the north.

The contract includes the design, manufacture, install and testing of all the systems required to run the new network – including signalling, platform screen doors, passenger information displays, communications systems, CCTV and security systems, and tunnel ventilation.

Other works will include tunnel fit outs, as well as the development of rolling stock, depot and maintenance facilities.

An additional focus will be placed on overall system integration, operations and maintenance.

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These works will be delivered over 10 years. Beyond that, John Holland and RATP Dev will operate and maintain the new metro line as part of a 15-year agreement, commencing from 2035.

Overall, the SRL East project will consist of six new stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Glen Waverley, Box Hill, Monash and Burwood.

All SRL East rail infrastructure, stations and buildings will be powered entirely by renewable energy, while energy regenerated during train braking will be used to power other trains on the network.

The new SRL East trains will feature wall mounted eating to increase space, dedicated spaces for wheelchairs and passengers with special needs, as well as flexible use spaces for prams, assistance animals and other uses.

The 13 four-carriage trains will be built in Dandenong at Alstom’s manufacturing site – the first-time automated trains will be built in Australia.

The two tunnelling contracts for SRL East have already been awarded, with major construction now underway, and tunnelling to start in 2026.