The Government of Victoria in Australia has installed advanced high-capacity signalling on an existing network for the Metro Tunnel project.

Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews is now seeking expressions of interest (EOI) for the Rail Systems Alliance, which will be responsible for designing, developing, and delivering up to A$1bn ($727m) worth of signalling, communications, and other related systems.

The signalling will be installed on the Sunbury-Cranbourne/Pakenham line and a new cross-city tunnel will be built.

Modern platform screen doors will also be included to improve passenger safety in five new underground stations.

"In just two weeks, we’ve fully funded and released-to-market more than A$11bn worth of work on our two most important projects."

Andrews said: "In just two weeks, we’ve fully funded and released-to-market more than A$11bn worth of work on our two most important projects, the Western Distributor and the Metro Tunnel."

"The Metro Tunnel’s advanced signalling will deliver more trains more often and help create 3,900 jobs. We’re not just talking about innovation, jobs, and growth. We’re getting it done."

The project will see the use of modern X’Trapolis trains on a section of the South Morang line to test the technology.

Victoria Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said: "Next-generation signalling will be tested with the newest trains on the network, and rolled out ahead of the Metro Tunnel, so it’s ready for the new network we’re building.

"We’re fully funding the Metro Tunnel and 65 high-capacity trains so we can run services in and out of the city and create a system where trains come so often you don’t need a timetable, you just turn up and go."