Balfour Beatty, the global infrastructure group, announces that, in an alliance with Thiess and Sinclair Knight Merz, it has been awarded an A$835 million (£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.
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.
Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said: “The Melbourne rail contract win is really pleasing from a number of perspectives. Firstly, as a global player in rail technology, we are pleased to play a part in this historical development for rail in Australia - a buoyant market where we are developing a healthy market position.
“Furthermore, it is rewarding to see our strategy in action. We have harnessed our skills and capabilities in rail as well as in Parsons Brinckerhoff to gain a position as a joint-venture partner in the design and construction of a complex rail project. This win aptly demonstrates the success of our strategy to integrate the Group’s capabilities to manage complexity for our customers.”
Analyst/investor enquiries:
Basak Kotler
Balfour Beatty plc
Tel 020 7216 6924
Media enquiries:
Tony Maguire
Balfour Beatty plc
Tel 020 7216 6865
Notes to Editors:
1.Balfour Beatty (www.balfourbeatty.com) is a world-class infrastructure group with capabilities in professional services, construction services, support services and infrastructure investments.
We work in partnership with our customers principally in the UK, continental Europe, the US, South-East Asia, Australia and the Middle East, who value the highest levels of quality, safety and technical expertise.
Key infrastructure markets include transportation (roads, rail and airports); social infrastructure (education, specialist healthcare, and various types of accommodation); utilities (water, gas and power transmission and generation) and commercial (offices, leisure and retail).
The Group delivers services essential to the development, creation and care of these infrastructure assets including project design, financing and management, engineering and construction, and facilities management services.
Balfour Beatty employs 50,000 people around the world.
2.Parsons Brinckerhoff is a global strategic consulting, engineering and programme/construction management organisation, and is the professional services division of Balfour Beatty plc.
Parsons Brinckerhoff is a leader in developing and operating infrastructure around the world, with over 14,000 employees dedicated to meeting the needs of clients and communities in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia-Pacific regions.
Parsons Brinckerhoff offers skills and resources in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, programme/construction management, and operations for all types of infrastructure, including transportation, power, urban planning and design, water and the environment.
3.Balfour Beatty Rail is one of the world's leading rail infrastructure contractors with operations globally, delivering major multi-disciplinary projects, trackwork, electrification and power supply, signalling, specialist plant, track systems and components and maintenance services.
Through traditional contracts, alliance and partnering arrangements, Balfour Beatty Rail serves both public and private railways in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia, including: high-speed passenger railways; freight and mixed traffic routes; dense commuter networks; metros and light rail.