Turner & Townsend has been appointed by Transport for New South Wales as the managed service provider (MSP) for the project management office for Sydney Metro City and Southwest and Metro West final business case. The global professional services firm will be supported by experienced global infrastructure partners HKA and Crossrail International.

Sydney Metro is Australia’s largest public transport project, which Turner & Townsend and HKA have been working on for over ten years. City and Southwest and Metro West are the second and third stages of the Metro programme. 

Turner & Townsend director Darren Munton said: “This win clearly reflects the strength of the relationship we have built with Transport for NSW over many years, and the confidence they have in our ability to deliver high quality outcomes utilising global best practice methods. It is another milestone achievement for our infrastructure business in the Australian region. The accomplishment is testament to the reputation we have established with Transport for NSW to deliver exceptional standards of service, build deep client relationships at all levels within the organisation, foster a collaborative working environment and a strong cultural alignment.”

Munton added: “We set out a clear strategy to grow our reputation and influence in Australia. To win one of the largest single infrastructure commissions in the country, reinforces that we are heading in the right direction.”

Sydney Metro will transform Sydney, cutting travel times, reducing congestion and delivering economic and social benefits for generations to come. It will boost economic activity by more than $5bn a year, supporting major job and business growth along its 66-km route with better connectivity across Sydney.  Australia’s first fully-automated railway will be able to move more than 40,000 people an hour in each direction. 

Employment across metropolitan Sydney is expected to increase from 2.1 million workers today to almost four million by 2036. About 60% of people will work in the Global Economic Corridor, which stretches from Norwest and Parramatta to Macquarie Park, through Chatswood, North Sydney, the Sydney CBD and on to Sydney Airport. Sydney Metro will help connect people across Sydney to these job growth areas.

Dafydd Wyn Owen, partner at HKA, commented: “This is a truly exciting opportunity to shape the future of Sydney, and to help further raise the bar in the programme’s performance. HKA understands the pressures associated with delivering successful projects. HKA is renowned for finding value adding solutions amid uncertainty and will bring this global experience to help Sydney Metro deliver the best possible outcome.”

Crossrail chairman Sir Terry Morgan CBE said: “We bring an extremely experienced team with us and will continue the close partnership we have had with Turner & Townsend on Crossrail, Europe’s largest infrastructure project. Crossrail has set a new benchmark for global major infrastructure delivery and we look forward to working on the Sydney Metro programme to help New South Wales to raise the bar once again.”

When fully mobilised, the team from Turner & Townsend and HKA is expected to include 60 programme and project control professionals working across multiple contract packages. The team will bring global expertise and experience from helping to deliver other global infrastructure programs including Heathrow Airport, Crossrail and Abu Dhabi Airport as well as the future Western Sydney Airport.

Turner & Townsend’s role is as a key enabler to support the successful delivery of the overall programme for Transport for NSW. The MSP will further develop and manage the governance environment via its independent role; implement the systems and reporting standards; and provide the consistency across the program to ensure it is delivered seamlessly.