TRANSPORT for New South Wales (NSW) has announced it will adopt a new contracting model for the Sydney Metro West phase of the Sydney Metro project.

The Sydney Metro West Partnership has been developed as a result of industry feedback and lessons learnt from Sydney Metro City & Southwest, and from other national and international projects. Transport for NSW says the new model aims to provide a more collaborative approach to construction and support a more sustainable construction industry.

The 24km metro Sydney Metro West line will double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and Sydney city centre. New stations will be built at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and Hunter Street in the city centre. Construction started in 2020, with the project on schedule to be completed by 2030.

A number of contracts are currently being considered to form part of the new partnership, including:

  • rolling stock and signalling, including design, supply, testing and commissioning of the new train fleet, and the signalling and systems required to deliver driverless train operation
  • Stations Package West, including the delivery of underground stations at The Bays, Five Dock, Burwood North, North Strathfield and Westmead​
  • the station component of each Integrated Station Development, including separate packages for Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, Pyrmont and Hunter Street
  • operation and maintenance, including the provision of customer and operational services and maintenance for a 15-year operations term​, and
  • Linewide, including the design, supply, testing and commissioning of all other rail and linewide systems.

The model will be further developed and refined with the market as part of the prequalification process commencing in January 2023.

The buildings above the new Sydney Metro West stations, and precincts around them, will be delivered under contracts with Sydney Metro, separate to the Sydney Metro West Partnership.

Procurement for the remaining Metro West packages started on November 7, with the opening of the Registration of Interest.

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