Construction on a new tram maintenance and stabling facility in Maidstone, Victoria is a step closer to being built following the award of a contract for its delivery.
The contract to build the Maidstone facility was awarded to a construction alliance led by John Holland Group.
The maintenance and stabling facility, delivered as part of the Victorian Government’s $1.85 billion Next Generation Trams project, is located on the corner of Williamson and Hampstead roads. It will serve as home to the new fleet of modern and accessible trams as well as used to maintain, clean and store the low-floor trams.
“Our Next Generation Trams will keep passengers moving across Melbourne’s west and now we’re getting on with works to build this new facility in Maidstone – which will keep our modern tram fleet running safely and reliably,” Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said.
Designs were recently released to give Victorians a glimpse of what the new facility will look like once it is up and running. These designs were shaped by community feedback, which include modern and sustainable infrastructure featuring energy efficient LED lights, recycled plastic materials and rainwater tanks that will harvest 80 megalitres a year to wash the trams.
Key features of the facility include:
Early works on the facility are already underway, with crews spending the next few months preparing the project site for major construction that is scheduled to commence later this year.
The Maidstone maintenance and stabling facility is estimated to create 280 local jobs during its construction, ongoing maintenance as well as the supply of materials and services.
“Residents of Melbourne’s inner west will benefit from next generation, low-floor trams at around the same time as the new Footscray Hospital and Metro Tunnel opens – transforming the way people get around our growing community,” Member for Footscray said.
The State Government has allocated funding through the Victorian Budget 2021/22 to deliver the Next Generation Trams – which includes 100 locally-manufactured trams and a new maintenance and stabling facility.
The Next Generation Trams project is the largest investment in locally made trams in Australia to date. It sets the standard of modern public transport through the delivery of more comfortable, accessible and energy-efficient transport options for commuters.
Overall, the project is expected to support up to 1,900 local jobs in manufacturing and across the supply chain.
Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Victoria State Government – Department of Transport and Planning; Engage Victoria