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Canberra Metro wins light rail tender

Monday, 1 Feb 2016 10:01:52

Serena Williams of the US reacts as she plays against her sister Venus Williams during their 2015 US Open Women's singles quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 8, 2015.

The Capital Metro light rail line from Gungahlin to the city will be built by international consortium Canberra Metro, the ACT Government has announced.

Canberra Metro was one of two international consortia shortlisted for the $698 million project last year.

The consortium said it would be able to build the line faster than originally projected.

Canberra Metro includes German company Deutsche Bahn, which operates 16 other light rail networks in Europe.

Other members include Pacific Partnerships, John Holland, and Mitsubishi Corporations.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the project would deliver more than $1 billion in benefits for Canberra.

"Canberra Metro's proposal offers an innovative and world-class solution that will deliver better transport for Canberra," he said.

Construction of stage one of the line is due to be completed by late 2018, with a view to commencing operations in early 2019.

"This is sooner than previous estimates and means less disruption for Canberrans and faster access to the transformational effects of this city-changing project," Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell said.

Artist impression of Capital Metro light rail station. Good generic. Photo: Canberra Metro has been selected to build the light rail line from Gungahlin to the city. (Supplied)

"The public-private partnership with Canberra Metro will allow the ACT Government to draw upon the expertise and technical infrastructure knowledge of a high-class consortium."

While no announcement was made regarding the proposed second stage of the route, which would link the city to Russell, Mr Barr said he was in negotiations to secure funding from the Federal Government.

"I met with the Prime Minister late last year and following the meeting he has invited the ACT Government to seek federal funding for the Russell extension," he said.

"We see the Russell extension as an excellent example of the Prime Minister's cities agenda."

Opposition call for termination clause

The Opposition has previously vowed to tear up any light rail contracts entered into before the election if it wins government at the ACT election in October.

Opposition transport spokesman Alistair Coe said the Canberra Liberals would now be pushing for the Government to make provisions for this in its contracts.

If we're going to have a billion dollars of tax payers money spent, it should be put to the people in an election.

Opposition transport spokesman Alistair Coe

"In the event that the ACT Labor Greens Government does sign contracts later this year ... we hope that they will listen to what the Opposition is saying, and listen to the people of Canberra, and write into that contract a very fair and reasonable termination clause," he said.

"Because if a Liberal government is elected in October, we will terminate this project."

Mr Coe said there were no circumstances under which light rail would go ahead under a Liberal government.

"It is not the best use of money," he said.

"If we're going to have a billion dollars of tax payers' money spent, it should be put to the people in an election.

"Unfortunately this Government is stridently going ahead, with complete disregard for the people who actually pay for this project through their taxes."

When asked about his relationship with the Canberra Liberals today, Canberra Metro bid chairman Mark Lynch said the consortium had been dealing with ACT Government and was not involved with the politics of the matter.

But he said the group expected contracts to be honoured.

"We take our contractual obligations very seriously and we would simply expect that our counterparties would do the same, whether they're government or private sector," he said.

External Link: ABC documentary Fast Tracked: How light rail got the green light for Canberra

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