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Transport for New South Wales has announced that the Northwest Rapid Transit Consortium (NRT) is the preferred bidder of Australia's biggest public transport PPP project, the North West Rail Link.

The total investment for the project is estimated at AU$8.3 billion. The project will be developed on a design, build, finance, operation and maintenance (DBFOM) basis for a period of 15 years.

The consortium NRT is formed by: MTR Corporation (Australia), John Holland, Leighton Contractors, UGL Rail Services, Plenary Group. Construction is expected to commence in late 2014.

UGL in joint venture with MTR Corporation will design and deliver the tunnel systems, rolling stock, rail signalling and overall control systems. Operations and maintenance of the service will be undertaken by UGL, MTR Corporation and John Holland over a 15 year period.

The project will serve a 36 kilometre route between Rouse Hill and Chatswood, delivering world class public transport to the fast growing region of North West Sydney. The contract includes:

• building the eight new railway stations,
• delivering the commuter car parks for 4,000 cars,
• supplying the new generation rapid transit single deck trains,
• building and operating the stabling and maintenance facility at Tallawong Road,
• installing tracks, signalling, mechanical and electrical systems,
• converting the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link for the new rapid transit system,
• operating the North West Rail Link - including all maintenance work.

In early December 2013 we published that Transport for New South Wales had received two proposals for the Operations, Trains and Systems (OTS) Package of the North West Rail link project. The other consortium that also bid for the project was TransForm which was formed by Serco Australia, Bombardier Transportation Australia, SNC-Lavalin Capital, McConnell Dowell, John Laing Investments and Macquarie Capital Group.