NSW: Tender awarded for duplicate rail line

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2007
NSW: Tender awarded for duplicate rail line

Eds: Embargoed until 0500, Thursday, 26 April

SYDNEY, April 26 AAP - The duplication of a rail line in Sydney's south-west inched
a step closer with the tender being awarded for the $450 million project.

Express trains on the East Hills line have been stuck behind all-stop services between
Kingsgrove and Revesby stations, where only two tracks exist.

An additional two tracks will be added to the bottleneck so the respective trains can
travel independent of each other.

The two-year project will require the construction of 10 new rail bridges, modifications
to five existing bridges and a new overhead concourse and lift at Revesby station.

The successful tenderer, K2RQ Alliance, includes Leighton Contractors, Maunsell Australia,
Sinclair Knight Merz, MVM Rail and Union Switch & Signal.

"This work will allow us to secure a dedicated Campbelltown express line, which will
mean a faster trip and more express services for commuters in Sydney's south-west," NSW
Premier Morris Iemma said in a statement.

"By simplifying operations on the line we'll be able to increase express services from
eight per hour to up to 20 per hour in the long-term to meet future demand."

"It will also cater for future growth for the 11 million people who catch trains on
the East Hills line each year."

The project is part of the government's $1.8 billion Clearways plan to separate train
lines so delays on one train line do not cause cascading effects on other parts of the
network.

The East Hills duplication project is due to start sometime next year and be completed in 2010.

AAP vpm/lh/bwl

KEYWORD: RAIL IEMMA (EMBARGOED)

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