BHP and the Western Australia Government have launched the first stage of major road and rail works in the Pilbara region to provide better safety to the local community and mining sector.
Work is now underway on stage one of road and rail improvements in Port Hedland, which is fully funded by BHP and being delivered by the WA Government through Main Roads WA.
The $31.48 million contract, awarded to the Highway Construction-Albem Operations joint venture, will deliver the Buttweld Road ‘road-over-rail’ bridge near Port Hedland.
BHP Western Australia Iron Ore asset president Brandon Craig said the company is committed to safety in the Pilbara.
“This funding package will improve safety at our level rail crossings and provide jobs to the local community while allowing travel around Port Hedland to become more efficient,” Craig said.
“There is nothing more important to BHP than the safety of our people and the community – we welcome the opportunity to work with the State Government and Main Roads on this important safety initiative.”
Stage one of the project is part of an estimated $68 million package of works with total funding for the road-over-rail projects provided by BHP ($45.26 million), the Federal Government ($18.2 million) and the WA Government ($4.54 million).
Premier Mark McGowan said the funding is part of an important package of improvements that will bring major safety and economic benefits to Port Hedland.
“The three rail crossings carry a total of 6000 vehicles per day, and providing bridges not only removes the risk of accidents but eliminates the need for people to wait in their vehicles while long freight trains pass by,” McGowan said.
The announcement occurred on the same day that BHP welcomed the first 54 recruits in the company’s Rail Academy Traineeship Program that seeks to employ and train 200 train drivers over the next three years.
Recruits will undergo an intensive 10-month training program in which they will learn specialist skills in train shunting, communication systems and signalling, route planning, and safety and fatigue management.
At the end of the training, they will qualify with a certificate IV in train driving.