Western Australia‘s Public Transport Authority (PTA) has awarded a €1bn (AUD$1.6bn) contract to Alstom and DT Infrastructure, an Australian engineering and construction company, to design, supply, build, install, test, commission and maintain high-capacity signalling technology for Perth’s suburban rail network.

An Alliance of the Public Transport Authority, Alstom and DT Infrastructure will deliver the project, which is the world’s largest signalling project by route length.

DT Infrastructure’s expert local workforce will install Alstom’s Urbalis CBTC technology, making Perth the third Australian city to deploy the system.

Around one hundred and ninety other metro lines around the world also use Urbalis, including in Santiago, Île-de-France and the Romanian city of Cluj-Napaco.

The project will increase Perth’s network capacity by forty percent.

It features enhanced cyber security and energy saving, and a multi-purpose communications system that is based on a private Long-Term evolution radio network.

The High Capacity Signalling project forms part of the METRONET program.

It secures seven hundred and fifty local jobs in Western Australia. It will also deploy experts to Perth from other countries.

The project will focus on increasing the skills of Public Transport Authority staff on the new signalling technology, and on the local supply chain, in particular involving Aboriginal-operated business and employment opportunities.

The Alliance intends to deliver the project in a way that minimises disruption to Perth’s passengers.

“Western Australia is experiencing a rail renaissance with the recent first passenger service of the Alstom’s C-series train, built locally in Bellevue. Now comes the investment in the world’s best signalling technology. Clearly, the West Australian government require the best for the people of Perth. It is our privilege to deliver this, backed by our global expertise and local knowhow, for Western Australia, continuing our long history of deep partnership with the State.”

Pascal Dupond, Managing Director of Alstom Australia and New Zealand.