AN eight-member consortium including public and private partners has won a contract to provide detailed planning and delivery of a major package of works for the Melbourne Airport Rail project.

The Sunshine Alliance consortium, which includes John Holland, CPB Contractors, Aecom, KBR, Alstom, Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line and Rail Projects Victoria, will upgrade Sunshine station as a transport hub connecting airport trains with metro and regional rail services. The alliance will also deliver corridor-wide rail and signalling upgrades to allow high-capacity metro trains to serve the new Airport station.

As part of the works, the alliance will deliver major improvements including:

  • a new, accessible second pedestrian concourse and new forecourt area at Sunshine station
  • a new forecourt area and car park improvements at Albion station
  • construction of an elevated flyover at Albion separating airport trains from metropolitan and regional services, and
  • relocation and implementation of rail systems, modifications to substations, and protection of existing utilities.

When completed in 2029, the Melbourne Airport Rail project will provide passengers with a 30-minute journey time between the airport and Melbourne city centre and support seamless connections to both the regional and metropolitan rail networks.

The project includes building new dedicated tracks along the existing Albion - Jacana freight corridor between Sunshine and Airport West. A new station at Keilor East will be built to provide a public transport option for the growing communities in the area.

The line will divert from the freight corridor, crossing the Western Ring Road (M80) and head towards the airport following Airport Drive, before arriving at the new Melbourne Airport station.

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