Major contract for Adelaide rail electrification awarded

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The modernisation of Adelaide’s rail network will begin in earnest next year with the awarding of the contract for a major component of the more than $400 million electrification program to deliver hundreds of jobs to South Australians.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, and South Australian Transport Minister, Patrick Conlon, said the $10.2 million Project Development contract for Electrification Major Works had been awarded to Laing O’Rourke.

Mr Albanese said Laing O’Rourke was a company with over 30 years experience designing and constructing electrified rail systems nationally and worldwide.

“The Adelaide rail electrification project will deliver long lasting benefits for the Adelaide transport network: modernizing the lines, benefiting the environment and enhancing lifestyle in Adelaide – it is also delivering jobs and bringing international companies to SA,” Mr Albanese said.

“The state-of-the-art system will cover over more than 100 kilometres of track across the metropolitan area from Gawler to Seaford, and Adelaide to Outer Harbor which will provide an enhanced travel experience for commuters.”

Mr Conlon said that a company of Laing O’Rourke’s international repute doing business here is not only a massive vote of confidence in our unprecedented investment in public transport but also a significant boost to jobs and our economy.

“I am delighted the next phase of this contract will deliver around 100 new jobs with construction to bring additional employment opportunities,” Mr Conlon said.

“This work represents the nuts and bolts of electrification- the poles and wires and signalling and communication systems required to run a state-of-the-art electric rail system complete with brand new trains.

“In around two years electric trains will be part of a multi-billion dollar network providing faster, more efficient, greener, more frequent and safer bus, train and tram services.”

Mr Albanese and Mr Conlon said the first electrified services will run on the new Seaford rail line in 2013, and subsequently on the Noarlunga and Gawler lines later that same year, with electrification of the Outer Harbor line to be complete in 2015.

“This project is a great example of the Federal and State governments working together to deliver a better and more sustainable future for the community,” they concluded.

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