The contractor responsible for delivering new tunnels and stations as part of Queensland’s largest rail project has been put on notice that it must deliver on its commitments.

The Queensland Government has announced an overhaul of the Cross River Rail Authority which is responsible for overseeing the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail Project on which major construction work commenced last November.

In a statement, Queensland Minister for Cross River Rail Kate Jones said the moves were designed to ensure that the Pulse Consortium which secured the contract to deliver tunnels and new stations as part of the project was held to account over its contractual commitments.

She accused CPB Contractors – the head contractor responsible for building the tunnels and stations – of reneging on its commitments with regard to the troubled West Gate Tunnel project in Victoria.

“Right now, CPB is trying to weasel its way out of its contract with the Victorian Government on the multi-billion-dollar West Gate Tunnel,” Jones said.

“Since coming into the role at the end of last year, I have been reviewing the structure of the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority. It is clear to me and to Cabinet that now we have moved from the procurement phase to the construction phase of the project we need to beef up compliance.”

Under the changes, a compliance unit will be established with the Cross River Rail Authority to ensure that all commitments made by the consortium are honoured during construction.

The Authority will also report directly to the Minister whilst the board will be restructured at the conclusion of its current term in April to reflect the transition from procurement to construction.

The moves come as CPB and its joint venture partner John Holland have become embroiled in a dispute with toll road group Transurban and the Victorian government over the cost and difficulty of dealing with contaminated soil on the West Gate Tunnel project in Melbourne.

CPB and John Holland have terminated a contract to build the new tunnel for Transurban, claiming that they were not responsible for the unexpected cost and difficulty of disposing of the soil.

The contractors claim they were told by Transurban that 85 per cent of the soil they would have to move to build the tunnel would be classified as “fill material” that could be recycled or put into regular landfill sites, but subsequently found that most of the soil was contaminated.

Jones says the Government needed to hold the consortium to account to ensure that contractual commitments are honoured.

“We’ve seen delays on the Victorian Government’s Melbourne Metro Tunnel project due to on-going disputes with the builder,” she said.

“And we have all suffered with the NSW stadiums deal debacle that has seen timelines pushed out and the Grand Final being played at a cricket ground for up to three years.”

“I want to ensure I have the right people with the right skills to deliver this project and hold CPB and Pulse Consortium to account. I’m not going to let CPB run roughshod over Queenslanders or the workers on this job.”

Set to be completed in 2024, the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail project will create a 10.2 kilometre line which will link Dutton Park and Bowen Hills and included 5.9 kilometres of tunnel under the Brisbane River and the CBD.

The project includes four new underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street, as well as station upgrades for the Dutton Park and Exhibition stations.

The tunnel and new stations are being delivered by the PULSE consortium which includes CPB, CIMIC Group, Pacific Partnerships and UGL with international partners DIF, BAM and Ghella.

The contract to build the tunnels was finalised in July and work commenced in November.