The first stage of a project to deliver 246 new railcars for the Perth network has begun with a pre-qualification tender to build the new trains being released today.

The project will deliver 102 new railcars (17 six-car sets) needed for METRONET projects and 144 railcars (24 six-car sets) to replace the ageing A-series trains, which were the first electric railcars on the Transperth network.

The $1.6b project will deliver the railcars as well as a local railcar assembly facility and associated infrastructure. 

Delivery of the 17 METRONET trains, known as the C-series, is due to begin in 2021. The remaining 24 trains are expected to be online between 2023 and 2028.

An important consideration of the tendering process is a commitment to manufacture or assemble 50 per cent of the railcars in Western Australia. Short-listed companies will progress to an interactive tendering process before a final supplier is chosen in 2019.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti announced the start of procurement with Premier Mark McGowan at the Public Transport Authority’s Nowergup Depot, in front of the first of the final order of 10 new B-series trains to be delivered for the Forrestfield-Airport Link project