Metro Tunnel works in City Square are entering the next phase, with piling to get underway to build the new Town Hall Station up to 35 metres beneath Melbourne’s CBD.
Premier Daniel Andrews today joined Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan and Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll to inspect the City Square worksite, where major piling works are set to begin.
They were joined by Michele Dix CBE, Managing Director of London’s Crossrail 2, one of the UK’s leading public transport infrastructure experts, who is visiting the Metro Tunnel project to share her experience on some of the world’s biggest and most complex public transport infrastructure projects.
The Metro Tunnel won’t just deliver a world-class public transport network, it’s also creating thousands of local jobs through initiatives such as the Andrews Labor Government’s Major Project Skills Guarantee which has already given the careers of more than 1,200 apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets a kick start.
More than 1 million work hours have been completed by the apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets on 52 projects. So far, 110 apprentices, trainees and engineering cadets have clocked more than 110,000 hours working on the Metro Tunnel. The five-year project will create 7,000 jobs, including 791 apprentices, trainees and cadets.
Over the coming months, Victorians will be able to watch from the viewing windows on Swanston Street as scores of workers and construction equipment, bore huge support columns into the ground. This will allow deeper digging to safely commence, with Town Hall Station to be built within the excavated space.
Piling works will take place in the massive shaft created by the demolition of the three-storey car park beneath City Square and subsequent removal of around 5,000 tonnes of debris from the site. An acoustic shed will be erected over the City Square site early next year, before 24-hour excavation and tunnelling works commence.
Town Hall Station will be located under Swanston Street, between Flinders Street and Collins Street. The station will include an underground passenger connection to the platforms at Flinders Street Station, allowing commuters to conveniently interchange between Metro Tunnel and City Loop train services.
The Metro Tunnel project is just one of 67 contracted major government projects that will apply the skills guarantee expected to generate more than 3,580 employment opportunities for young Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“We’re getting on with the job of building a world-class rail system for Melbourne with turn-up-and-go services that will get you home safer and sooner every day.”
Quote attributable to Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan
“The Victorian Liberals had four years and built nothing – we haven’t wasted a minute with over $40 billion to transform our transport network to get Victorians where they need to go safer and sooner.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll
“Our Major Project Skills Guarantee is giving Victorians the experience and training they need to get ahead in their careers – whilst we build the infrastructure Victoria needs.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020