Ashurst has advised the Nexus Infrastructure consortium (Nexus) on its winning bid to design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the A$1.6 billion Toowoomba Second Range Crossing.

The 41km highway will bypass the city of Toowoomba, and improve traffic conditions and road safety in the region, in particular reducing the number of heavy vehicles travelling through the Toowoomba city centre. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2018 after which Nexus is contracted to operate and maintain the road for 25 years.

The Nexus Infrastructure consortium consists of Plenary Group, Cintra, Acciona Concessions, Acciona Infrastructure, Ferrovial Agroman and Transfield Services. Ashurst advised on a range of aspects including the bid process and documentation, project financing, planning, taxation and legal due diligence.

Ashurst lead partner on the matter Gareth Sage, congratulated the consortium on its successful bid to the State of Queensland.
"Ashurst is pleased to be a part of the Nexus consortium's tender on this state significant project.

"This demonstrates the expertise of our infrastructure practice in delivering successful advice to local and global proponents bidding for PPPs in a complex regulatory environment".

The Ashurst team, led by Gareth Sage, included partners Simon Irvine and Mark Disney, counsel Rob White, senior associates Liz Hunt, Douglas Fung, Lillian Yeung, Peter Atkin, Mitchell Ainsworth and Laura van den Berg, lawyers Phillipa Hinton, Rebecca Dunlop, Rose Sanderson, Tamsyn Zulch, Cameron Walsh-Buckley, Aaranie Karthikeyan and Rosa Chen.