A major tender has been awarded to deliver up to $70 million of early construction work on the North West Rail Link – including preparing the major tunnelling sites for the tunnel boring machines.

The tender was awarded to Baulderstone Pty Ltd, which will manage the delivery of the work over the next 18 months.

This is a major milestone for the North West Rail Link and means construction of this critical infrastructure project is on schedule. This work will ensure the major tunnelling and skytrain construction sites are ready so we can get straight in and start building the tunnels and the railway when these two major construction contracts are awarded next year.

The early construction works include:

• Providing high-voltage power supplies to the major excavation worksites at Epping, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Hills Centre and Bella Vista;

• Preparation of the major tunnelling sites for the tunnel boring machines;

• The continued demolition of properties along the rail corridor; and

• The diversion of utilities like power and phone lines along the rail corridor and around the major construction worksites.

The NSW Government is also preparing to deliver the second Environmental Impact Statement for the North West Rail Link later this year. This will allow the community to have their say on issues like the design of train stations and access points to stations.  During the second EIS there will be a range of information sessions extending over more than a month where the community look at the plans, talk to the experts and have their say.