November 22 2008
RailCorp CEO Rob Mason has announced Novo Rail, an alliance which includes Laing O'Rourke, as the preferred proponent for the delivery of up to $1 billion of new rail works over the next five years.
“We wish to congratulate the Novo Rail consortium for their extraordinary efforts during the selection phase for the RailCorp Program Alliance and we look forward to working with them into the future,” Mr Mason said.
“The Alliance will help us deliver essential infrastructure upgrades to improve CityRail's capacity to meet the demands of patronage growth.
“It also aims to encourage the growth of resources available to the industry, particularly signalling and electrical engineers.”
Mr Mason said Novo Rail - comprising Laing O'Rourke, O’Donnell Griffin and Connell Wagner - had excellent experience in the delivery of RailCorp infrastructure.
“The partners have pooled their specialist resources to offer a ‘whole of project’ capability including industry leading program management, rail system design and rail infrastructure delivery,” he said.
“These are all attributes which will help us to deliver the significant signalling, electrical and track works projects required to meet the demands created by growing rail patronage.”
Mr Mason also congratulated the RailCorp evaluation team, which undertook extensive commercial and technical discussions with the short-listed proponents.
“Discipline areas across RailCorp are now gearing up for the Alliance to ensure it interfaces readily with our standards and systems, particularly in safety, ICT and engineering.
“Our agreement with Novo Rail will ensure that RailCorp’s probity and safety requirements are met at all times during delivery of the projects.”
Projects identified for inclusion in the Alliance contract include the Lidcombe-Granville corridor upgrade, commissioning of Lidcombe and Homebush turn-backs and various junction remodelling and traction supply upgrade projects. There is potential for other projects to be included in the Alliance.
RailCorp and Novo Rail will meet to finalise details of the agreement over the next two weeks and the Alliance is expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2009.
Photos courtesy of RailCorp
