The first stage of the Suburban Rail Loop – SRL East – is a fully-tunnelled 26-kilometre metro corridor between Cheltenham in the South and Box Hill in the North. The line will include six stations, including new interchanges with existing heavy rail stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Glen Waverley and Box Hill, with new stations at Monash and Burwood.
The Suburban Rail Loop Authority (SRLA) has separated SRL East into seven packages. Included in the scope of Works Package C is:
- tunnelling and cross passages over the 16-kilometre Cheltenham and Glen Waverley section, and
- Clayton and Monash station box excavations, including temporary retaining structures.
Key Dates
| Mar 2022 | EOIs Open |
| Aug 2023 | Preferred Bidder Selected |
| Dec 2023 | Contract Award |
| 2026 | Expected Construction Commencement |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Suburban Rail Loop Authority |
| Shortlist: | CPB Contractors, Ghella, and ACCIONA; John Holland and Gamuda; and Webuild and GS E&C. |
| Successful Tenderer: | CPB Contractors, Ghella, and ACCIONA. |
| Procurement note: | The SRLA is procuring the SRL East tunnelling packages - Works Package C – Tunnels – Cheltenham to Glen Waverley, and Works Package D – Tunnels – Glen Waverley to Box Hill via a joint Expressions of Interest (EOIs) phase. The joint EOI phase will see three bidders shortlisted and advanced to a staggered Request for Proposal (RFP) phase, where bidders will first compete for Package C, with a contract expected to be awarded by the end of 2023. The two remaining unsuccessful bidders for Package C will then compete for Package D, with that contract expected to be awarded in the third quarter of 2024. Works will be delivered using an Incentivised Target Cost contract. |
| Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Dec 2021 | The SRLA opened Pre-Qualification for Works Package C and D, closing on 25 March 2022. Pre-qualified participants were to progress to the Expressions of Interest phase. |
| Mar 2022 | The SRLA opened a joint Expressions of Interest (EOIs) phase for the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East tunnelling packages - Works Package C – Tunnels – Cheltenham to Glen Waverley, and Works Package D – Tunnels – Glen Waverley to Box Hill. |
| Jun 2022 | The SRLA announced five bidders had progressed through the EOI phase for SRL East tunnelling packages - Works Package C and Works Package D. |
| Sep 2022 | The Victorian Government announced the shortlist for the delivery of SRL East tunnelling packages – Works Package C and Works Package D. |
| Aug 2023 | The Victorian Government announced the Suburban Connect consortium, comprising CPB Contractors, Ghella and ACCIONA Construction had been selected as the preferred bidder to deliver Works Package C. |
| Dec 2023 | The Victorian Government formally awarded the Suburban Connect consortium, comprising CPB Contractors, Ghella and ACCIONA Construction, the contract for the delivery of works package C. |
| Apr 2024 | The Victorian Government announced that Suburban Connect, the consortium delivering Package C, is calling for Expressions of Interest from suppliers. Tunnelling is expected to commence in 2026. |
| Sep 2024 | The Victorian Government announced Herrenknecht as the preferred provider to supply four tunnel boring machines for the Suburban Rail Loop East - Works Package C. Tunnelling is expected to commence in 2026. |
| May 2025 | CIMIC announced that EIC Activities was awarded a contract to provide geotechnical, tunnelling and structures design and assessment services to the Suburban Connect Consortium. |
| May 2025 | The 2025-26 Victorian Budget confirmed the expected cost of the project as $3.6 billion. |
2022/03/28 EOIs to open and community fund launched
2022/06/09 EOIs close and 5 bidders confirmed
2023/08/29 Preferred bidder announced
2023/12/12 Contract awarded
2024/04/26 EOIs for suppliers open
2024/09/23 - Tunnel boring machine supplier contract award
2025/05/14 - Geotechnical Services
