As the first heavy rail operating contract for the joint venture of Keolis, France (51%), and Australian engineering firm Downer Rail (49%), Keolis Downer was required to secure ONRSR accreditation.
Keolis Downer will operate the Adelaide commuter network from January 31 for up to 12 years under a $A 2.1bn ($US 1.6bn) contract awarded by the government of South Australia in September 2020.
The joint venture will operate all train services in Adelaide except for the Gawler line, where electrification works continue.
“Keolis Downer, in partnership with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) and the South Australian government, has a clearly defined plan to ensure key delivery milestones are met during the transition process, which remains on schedule for operational commencement on January 31,” says Mr Corey Wingard, South Australia’s minister for infrastructure and transport.
“This includes joint governance and weekly reviews with DIT, with milestones reported and reviewed at CEO and Steering Committee level.”
