INLAND Rail has announced its spending with local business on the Beveridge to Albury (B2A) project has passed the $100 million mark, delivering an economic boost to local suppliers and communities in regional Victoria. Since October 2022, Inland Rail and partner McConnell Dowell have spent $118m with 303 local Victorian suppliers to carry out work on the first four construction sites at Wangaratta, Glenrowan, Barnawartha North and Seymour-Avenel Road. Inland Rail said local workers have also taken up employment opportunities on the first tranche of the project with 1279 (96 percent) of the 1330 jobs to date acquired by local residents. Some 22 local businesses have won contracts worth almost $1m and employed 156 locals, the company said. Inland Rail Tranche 2 construction partner, John Holland, recently held a series of meet the contractor events in Broadford, Euroa and Benalla to engage with local businesses and outline the range of services they are looking to contract on the second phase of the project in Victoria. More than 120 business attended as John Holland outlined the services it needs, including labour, quarry material, industrial consumables, plant and equipment, non-destructive digging, road sweeping, CCTV inspection survey and waste management. “More communities and businesses are set to benefit when we roll out the second tranche of the project in Benalla, Euroa, Wandong, Hume Freeway – Tallarook & Seymour and Broadford,” Inland Rail B2A delivery director Ed Walker said.
