The Public Transport Authority of Western Australia (PTA) has appointed Alstom and DT Infrastructure for a $1.6 billion ($1.1 billion) project to upgrade signalling on Perth’s suburban rail network.
The 10-year contract includes the design, supply, build, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of Alstom’s Urbalis Communications-based train control system (CBTC) across the entire 500km Transperth rail network.
The High Capacity Signalling project is part of Perth’s multi-billion dollar METRONET project, a multi-year investment in the city’s rail infrastructure that began in 2017. The project includes new track infrastructure and in-cab signalling equipment for 125 trains.
Darren Crichton, CEO of DT Infrastructure, said: “With several METRONET projects nearing completion, Perth’s enhanced rail network is ensuring residents and visitors are better connected than ever before.
“The High Capacity Signalling programme ensures that this capacity is fully utilised, so that more trains can run more often.”
As part of this project, Alstom and DT will install around 7,000 transponders for more precise train location, improve passenger information boards at 89 stations and lay more than 250 km of electricity lines.
According to the PTA, upon completion the project will increase Transperth’s network capacity by 40% and create 230 direct jobs and support a further 520 jobs.
Alstom’s involvement in the project continues the company’s collaboration with PTA on METRONET upgrades following the signing of a A$1.3 billion contract in 2019 for the delivery of 41 next-generation C-series electric trains and two DMUs, the first of which have now entered service.
Pascal Dupond, managing director of Alstom Australia and New Zealand, said: “Western Australia is experiencing a rail renaissance with the recent first passenger service of the Alstom C-series train, locally built in Bellevue. Now comes investment in the world’s best signalling technology.”
The contract strengthens Alstom’s position as a market leader in signalling technology and comes as the company signs a similar €100 million ($109 million) contract to upgrade 449 vehicles with ETCS signalling technology for ÖBB in Austria.
That project, one of 120 ETCS projects for Alstom, is expected to last until 2030 and will see new in-cab signalling equipment installed in each train to achieve ETCS Baseline 3.6.
“Alstom to deliver $1.1 billion in signal upgrade for Perth, Australia” was originally created and published by Railway technologya brand of GlobalData.
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