Media centre

Monday 7 Oct 2013

Network Rail Consulting wins contract on North West Rail Link in Sydney, Australia

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National

Network Rail Consulting has been appointed by Transport for New South Wales as independent safety assessor for the design and delivery of the NSW Government’s high priority rail project, the North West Rail Link in Sydney (NWRL).

A subsidiary of Network Rail set up in 2012 to harness the vast range of skills and experience available within Network Rail and demonstrate British expertise overseas, Network Rail Consulting will deliver independent safety assessment and advisory services for this flagship A$8.3bn (approx. £4.8bn) project.

The appointment will see Network Rail Consulting provide independent safety assessor services during the two major construction contracts, namely the Tunnel & Station Civil Works Contract and the Surface & Viaduct Civil Works Contract, as well as safety advisory services in relation to the Operations, Trains and Systems Contract.

The two construction contracts are anticipated to be completed in early 2017, with the operational delivery contract being completed by the end of 2019.

The 38km NWRL is Australia’s largest current public transport project and the biggest public transport project in Sydney since construction of the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge almost a century ago. The North West Rail Link will be a fully-automated rapid transit system – an Australian first incorporating state-of-the-art customer safety and security measures.

It includes eight new stations, 15km of tunnels from Epping to Bella Vista, a 4km elevated ‘skytrain’ viaduct between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill, conversion of the 4km Epping to Chatswood Rail Link to deliver high frequency rapid transit services and upgrading of some 14km of existing railway.

Nigel Ash, managing director of Network Rail Consulting, said: “This commission heralds the start of a long-term working relationship with Transport for New South Wales and coincides with the recent opening of our Sydney office as a focus for our work in this vibrant rail market. We believe we have much to offer other railways around the world and look forward to helping further develop rail in Australia and New Zealand, sharing the best of British engineering and ingenuity.”

Network Rail Consulting was set up in 2012 as a subsidiary of Network Rail as part of the company’s ongoing reform agenda. The objective for Network Rail Consulting is to harness the vast range of skills and experience available within Network Rail to demonstrate British expertise overseas and be an international ambassador for Britain’s rail industry. It will also help channel innovation back into Network Rail’s core business, helping deliver a better value railway for Britain.

Network Rail has grown Britain’s railways exponentially since 2002, adding over a million more train services a year, increasing passenger numbers by half a billion and doubling the number of passengers arriving on time. A report published by the European Commission earlier this year rated Britain’s rail network as the most improved in Europe.