Infrastructure news – Page 242
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NewsPerth consults on strategic transport vision
AUSTRALIA: Public Transport Authority of Western Australia has begun consultation on a strategic plan for the development of rail, bus rapid transit and light rail services with the aim of addressing congestion and accessibility issues as Perth grows to an expected population of 2·5 million by 2031. Heavy rail elements ...
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NewsNorth West Railway back on track
ZAMBIA: Plans for a 254 km railway from the Chingola railhead to the Lumwana mining region are once again active, with US-based Tagos Group and Zambia Development Agency signing a memorandum of understanding to raise US and African Development Bank funding for the US$500m project in Lusaka last month. ...
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NewsWorld rail infrastructure market July 2011
Australia: RailCorp has awarded MerMec a €15m contract to supply two 130 km/h Roger 800 self-propelled diagnostic vehicles by the end of the year, with an option for a third. Queensland Rail has awarded TrackStar Alliance a US$15m contract for work on the US$488m 10 km Richlands – ...
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NewsRailway construction starts in China
CHINA: Construction is scheduled to begin this month on a 168 km line linking Jingzhou in Hubei province with Yueyang in Hunan. The alignment is being designed for 160 km/h running, and construction is expected to take three years at a cost of 11·4bn yuan. Meanwhile, local approval has ...
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NewsHammond launches £5bn Great Western Main Line upgrade
UK: Visiting London’s Paddington station on July 14 to mark the completion of work to refurbish the station roof, Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond officially launched a 10-year programme to upgrade the Great Western Main Line. Speaking at the launch, Network Rail Chief Executive David Higgins said the ...
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NewsLGV Bretagne financing agreement signed
FRANCE: An agreement confirming the public financing package for LGV Bretagne - Pays de la Loire was signed in Rennes on July 12 by Transport Minister Thierry Mariani, RFF President Hubert du Mesnil and representatives from the Bretagne region, Pays de la Loire and the départements ...
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NewsCFS develops 2025 expansion plan
SYRIA: State railway CFS has announced details of a strategic plan running to 2025 which it is discussing with the Ministry of Transport. Proposals include construction of new lines to develop domestic and international traffic, upgrading existing lines to allow faster speeds and higher freight volumes, staff training and higher ...
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NewsWellington suburban rail upgrading package agreed
NEW ZEALAND: A package of infrastructure upgrades on Wellington’s Tranz Metro suburban rail network and transfer of the train fleet from KiwiRail to Greater Wellington Regional Council was approved on July 5. GWRC has assumed ownership of the stations (other than Wellington), stabling and depot facilities. It ...
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NewsBerlin S-Bahn groundbreaking
GERMANY: A groundbreaking ceremony in Berlin on June 6 marked the start of work on tram and S-Bahn connections to the Hauptbahnhof. A 2·3 km tram route will be built along Invalidenstrasse linking Nord-bahnhof with Hauptbahnhof by 2015, while a new north-south S-Bahn line designated S21 would connect Potsdamer Platz ...
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NewsInvensys Rail awarded London Bridge resignalling contract
UK: Network Rail has selected Invensys Rail for a framework contract to resignal the London Bridge station area under what the infrastructure manager's Director of Investment Projects, Simon Kirby, said would be 'one of the most complex station, track and signalling projects being undertaken on the railway network in a ...
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NewsSiemens to supply ETCS for High Plateau line
ALGERIA: Railway development agency ANESRIF has awarded a consortium including the ESTEL joint venture of national railway SNTF and Siemens a contract to supply ETCS Level 1 signalling and telecoms for 290 km of the High Plateau line between M'Sila, the new town of Boughzoul and Tissemsilt (9.08 p699). Siemens ...
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NewsNîmes – Montpellier bypass moves closer
FRANCE: Réseau Ferré de France announced on July 4 that it had launched final negotiations with the three shortlisted bidders for the PPP concession to build the Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier, which it describes as the country’s first ‘mixed traffic high speed line’. RFF expects to receive Best & Final ...
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NewsPKP awards station rebuilding contracts
POLAND: Major contracts have been awarded for the rebuilding of Lódz Fabryczna and Warszawa Zachodnia stations. PKP PLK has selected Torpol to rebuild Lódz Fabryczna at a cost of 1·45bn zloty. The contract covers demolition of the existing station and construction of four new platforms below ground level, approached by ...
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NewsATACS launch on September 25
JAPAN: East Japan Railway confirmed on June 30 that it intends to put its Advanced Train Administration & Communications System into full revenue operation on the Senseki Line near Sendai with effect from September 25. Following extensive development and test running using communications-based train control on the pilot section of ...
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NewsRZD proposes fast trains to serve 2018 World Cup
RUSSIA: Proposals to develop a network of high speed or accelerated train services ready for the 2018 FIFA World Cup are included in the Modernising Existing Rail Infrastructure strategy produced by Russian Railways’ Institute of Transport Economics & Development. The strategy offers ‘a practical tool’ for transporting ...
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NewsBeijing - Shanghai high speed line opens
CHINA: The world's longest high speed line was inaugurated with simultaneous departures from Beijing and Shanghai at 15.00 on June 30, as part of events marking the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. Construction of the Beijing - Shanghai Passenger-Dedicated Line officially began on April 18 2008, and the ...
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NewsV/Line returns after North East Rail Revitalisation
AUSTRALIA: Daily V/Line inter-city passenger services from Melbourne returned to Albury on June 26, the day after ceremonies were held to mark the completion of the North East Rail Revitalisation Project. The project to increase passenger and freight capacity on the route between Melbourne and the border with New South ...
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NewsCN boosts Alberta operations
CANADA: Canadian National has confirmed that work will start shortly on its planned 243 ha intermodal facility at Conrich, Alberta, northeast of Calgary. First announced in 2010, the C$200m Logistics Park will have more than 185 000 m² of warehousing capacity, the capability to handle heavy containers and space ...
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NewsGo-ahead for link between Saudi rail networks
SAUDI ARABIA: On June 24 Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund Dr Ibrahim Al-Assaf announced that government approval had been granted for construction of a link between Saudi Railway Co's recently-completed North-South freight line and Saudi Railways Organization's Dammam - Riyadh line. Leaving SAR's North-South railway ...
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NewsSiemens awarded €90m Gauteng resignalling contract
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has selected Siemens to supply signalling equipment and an operations control centre for Gauteng province. Siemens said the €90m deal announced on June 27 is the 'largest contract for signalling equipment ever awarded in South Africa.' The contract covers the replacement ...