The $8.3 billion North West Rail Link has reached its most important milestone yet, with a preferred operator selected to run the new rapid transit service. 

The Northwest Rapid Transit consortium – made up of MTR Corporation (Australia), John Holland, Leighton Contractors, UGL Rail Services and Plenary Group – has been selected to deliver the project’s operations contract.

The contract includes building the eight brand new railway stations, delivering 4,000 commuter car parking spaces, and supplying Sydney’s new generation, fully-automated rapid transit trains. We will work with the consortium to further negotiate and finalise this multi-billion-dollar contract, which is expected to be awarded later this year.

The first Tunnel Boring Machine (named ‘Elizabeth’ by a local student after colonial icon Elizabeth Rouse) is now on its way to Australia from France via China and will be in the ground by October. The second machine is due by the end of this year.