- Published:
- Wednesday 27 April 2016
The Andrews Labor Government has embarked on the biggest transformation of public transport in Victoria’s history, to overhaul the network and get people home to their families safer and sooner.
The centrepiece of the Victorian Budget 2016/17 is our decision to fully fund and deliver Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel – the biggest and most important public transport project in Australia.
While the Government will welcome a partnership from any future Federal Government, this project simply cannot wait any longer.
In the short term, the heart of Melbourne’s train system – the City Loop – will undergo a $134 million safety upgrade, ensuring it remains safe for the 130,000 passengers that use it every day.
In regional Victoria, the Government is investing $1.3 billion for better regional rail services.
The Ballarat line will undergo a massive upgrade, with $518 million to duplicate the line to Melton, build new crossing loops, carparks, platforms and stabling, and run more services for Ballarat and suburbs in Melbourne’s west.
More than 170 V/Line services will be added, meaning trains will run more often to and from Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Gippsland, Maryborough, Shepparton, and Warrnambool.
We're getting on with removing our 50 most dangerous and congested level crossings to reduce congestion and save lives.
In addition to removing the level crossings at Alphington and Rosanna, $140 million will be invested to upgrade the Hurstbridge Line – duplicating the notorious single section between Heidelberg and Rosanna through a new rail tunnel, and installing better power and signalling, to run more trains to Melbourne’s north east.
The Mernda Rail Project will be fully funded and delivered by the Labor Government with $588 million to build the eight kilometre extension from South Morang to the heart of the Mernda-Doreen growth corridor.
The next stage of Victoria’s rolling stock strategy is fully funded in this year’s Budget with:
- $875 million for 28 extra High Capacity Metro Trains, on top of the 37 in last year’s Budget
- $280.4 million for 27 VLocity carriages and extra stabling
- $105.2 million for five X’Trapolis trains
- $15 million for upgrades to trains on the North East line
V/Line’s classic fleet will be revamped and the Government has allocated $10 million to begin the development of a next generation regional train to boost capacity on the busiest corridors.
Regional services will also be bolstered through $198 million to rebuild the capacity of regional operator V/Line, and $141 million for major maintenance to improve reliability on the regional network.
More than 1500 extra commuter car parking spaces will be created at railway stations across the outer suburbs and regional Victoria will be created.
Other initiatives funded in the Budget include:
- $50 million in funding to deliver the Frankston Station Precinct Upgrade
- $35 million for metropolitan rail service improvements
- $15.1 million to fast-track critical bus service improvements in Labor’s $100 million bus plan, and $10.1 million for new bus services
- $23.6 million for minor rail works delivering improvements across regional Victoria
- $15.8 million for improvements to Bendigo Station and nearby Eaglehawk Station
- $9 million for practical passenger improvements at stations on the Gippsland line
- $7.6 million for business cases for projects that will deliver extra services and reliability on the Gippsland and Bendigo lines, and to Armstrong Creek near Geelong
- $5 million for a business case for track, signalling and other infrastructure upgrades between Upfield and Somerton to increase services to and from Seymour
- $5 million for planning the next phase of regional rail upgrades identified through work on Victoria’s first ever Regional Network Development Plan
- $3 million for a business case for duplication of the line from South Geelong to Waurn Ponds
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“Funding the new Metro Tunnel in full, removing 50 level crossings, buying high capacity trains, duplicating the Ballarat line to Melton, fixing the Hurstbridge line, the list goes on. We’re getting it done.”
“Passengers will get more trains, more often, that turn up on time, so they can spend more time with family and friends, and less waiting on the platform or stuck in traffic.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“We’re investing $1.3 billion in better regional trains and tracks to reduce overcrowding, improve reliability and run more services to growing communities across regional Victoria.”
“We’re delivering what our public transport system needs now and for the future, to get Victorians home safer and sooner, wherever they live.”