Balfour Beatty, the global infrastructure group, announces that, in an alliance with Thiess and Sinclair Knight Merz, it has been awarded a £535 million contract for works on the Footscray to Deer Park section of the Regional Rail Link project in Melbourne, Australia. Balfour Beatty has a 35% share in the alliance in which it will play a vital role by combining its rail infrastructure capabilities and its professional services through Parsons Brinckerhoff.

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The alliance partners will work with the Regional Rail Link Authority, Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and V/Line to design and construct the first major new rail line for metropolitan Melbourne in 80 years. Considered a critical component of Melbourne’s rail network, the Regional Rail Link will separate regional trains from metropolitan trains for the first time, giving trains dedicated tracks and hence, increasing capacity and reliability.

The project involves the construction of 7.5 kilometres of new track, rail bridges, a new station at West Footscray, and upgrades and improvements to the current infrastructure. Balfour Beatty will put in place the rail systems including signalling and track and will act as the programme manager for the project. Major works are expected to commence in early 2012.

(CD)