Leighton - Gammon Joint Venture has been awarded a HK$8.9 billion contract by the MTR Corporation to construct the West Kowloon Terminus Station North for the Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL), which forms part of China's strategic national express rail network.



This is the biggest and final XRL civil contract and the second XRL contract secured by the joint venture, following the award of the West Kowloon Terminus Approach Tunnel South project.



Construction will take place in a highly urbanised environment, requiring sensitive management of road and utility diversions during the construction period. Excavation to a depth reaching 33 metres will require the removal of 1.7 million cubic metres of earth and the placement of 600,000 cubic metres of concrete and 150,000 tonnes of reinforcement steel.



On completion, the project will provide a world-class rail terminus and serve as an international gateway to China. Facilities will include nine long-haul and six shuttle platforms, customs and immigration facilities, departure lounges, duty free and other retail outlets. A key element is a dramatic steel and glass roof structure above the entrance that will be a prominent feature of the Kowloon skyline. The rail terminus will be connected to the adjacent Austin Station, Kowloon Station and Airport Express by a series of pedestrian bridges and underpasses.



In a joint statement, Mr Ian Edwards, executive general manager of Leighton Asia’s operations in Hong Kong, Macau, China and Taiwan, and Mr Thomas Ho, chief executive of Gammon Construction, expressed their excitement about winning this challenging project.



"The joint venture is particularly delighted that our technical competence and reputation for excellent quality have enabled us to win another prestigious contract on the XRL. We are fully committed to working with the MTR Corporation to meet the challenges ahead and are confident we will safely deliver a development of the highest quality."



Construction works are scheduled to begin in October 2011, with an expected completion date in 2015.



A workforce of over 2,000 will be engaged at the peak of the project’s construction period.

Corporate Communications Manager

Gammon Construction

Tel: + 852 2516 8733

Email: candy.chan@gammonconstruction.com