Global law firm Ashurst has advised Sydney Metro on their A$2.16 billion contract with the Gamuda Australia and Laing O'Rourke Consortium to design and construct nine kilometres of twin metro rail tunnels between Sydney Olympic Park and Westmead.
The Western Tunnelling Contract forms the second of three tunnelling contracts that are being procured by Sydney Metro for the Sydney Metro West project and on which Ashurst is advising.
The Central Tunnelling Contract was awarded to Acciona Construction Australia Pty Ltd and Ferrovial Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd Join Venture (AF JV) in July 2021, and the Eastern Tunnelling Contract is currently in procurement with a shortlist of consortia announced by Sydney Metro earlier in February 2022.
The awarding of the Western Tunnelling Contract marks the final milestone in an innovative 3-2-1 procurement process which has been run by Sydney Metro and which stretched over more than 18 months. Under the procurement structure, the same three tenderers were required to bid for both the Central and the Western Tunnelling Contracts.
Partner Alex Guy commented:
"We are pleased to have acted for Sydney Metro on the second tunnelling contract for the Sydney Metro West Project. This A$2.16 billion contact represents a key milestone in advancing construction of this important new metro line, part of Australia's biggest public transport project."
Completion of the contract is expected by the end of 2025.
The Ashurst team was led by partner Harvey Weaver, assisted by partner Bill Smith (Dispute Resolution); partners Alex Guy and Olivia Lau, Counsel Ben Kipic, Senior Associates Mathieu Nolin, Rhiannon Evans and Stephen Blair, lawyer Ben Shilson-Josling and Graduate Helen Wei (Transport and Infrastructure).
