The NMR division was created to deliver the NMR project, the biggest public infrastructure project ever undertaken in WA.
It was the most expensive and most significant improvement ever made to WA’s public transport. The budget was $1655.634 million (excluding Victoria Park Station) and, at the end of 2007/08, total project expenditure was $1654.146 million (99.9 per cent of budget).
The NMR project was completed on Sunday 23 December 2007 with the opening of the Mandurah Line, the biggest and final component. The NMR project was successfully delivered as follows:
- Nowergup Depot View image (railcar stowage, maintenance and cleaning) – completed June 2004.
- Extension of the Joondalup Line to a new end-station at Clarkson, View image and the extension of existing platforms on the Joondalup Line – completed October 2004.
- Construction of a new spur line to Thornlie, View image and the upgrade of infrastructure on the Armadale Line in the Victoria Park area – completed August 2005.
- The acquisition of 31 new state-of the-art three-car trains View image – the last train entered service in July 2006.
- Commissioning and commencement of operations of the Mandurah Line – December 2007. View image
Since the opening of the Mandurah Line in December, the NMR division worked on issues relating to rectification of defects by contractors under their defects liability obligations. The defects liability periods for different contracts are between one and 10 years, with management of the defects period and any remaining contract issues transferring to Network and Infrastructure (N&I) on 1 July 2008.
At year’s end, the PTA was engaged in legal action in the Supreme Court with NMR package contractor, Leighton Contractors. At the end of June 2008, there was no outcome to these court proceedings and no costs provisions have been made in respect to any judgement (see Contingent Liability note in the Financial Section).