- Published:
- Saturday 13 October 2018
The only project that will connect Victoria and slash congestion across Melbourne is the Suburban Rail Loop – and only a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will get it done.
In the last four years, the Labor Government has embarked upon the biggest transport building program ever – keeping our promise to remove level crossings and fix roads and rail across Victoria.
But there’s still more to do. Without action, demand on our 100-year-old radial transport network will grind our state to a halt. That’s why Suburban Rail Loop is the visionary project our state needs – a 90km rail ring around Melbourne’s suburbs, with 12 new underground stations connecting every major rail line in Victoria.
Premier Daniel Andrews today welcomed a matching $300 million funding commitment under a future Shorten Labor Government – showing that only Labor will get this done.
The combined $600 million Labor commitment will mean we can complete the business case and pre-construction work required to fast-track the delivery of the project in 2022.
The Labor Government released further detail of the transport modelling provided by experts at Development Victoria and PwC today, which shows that travel times across Melbourne will be slashed – connecting Victorians via fast public transport to key employment, jobs, education and health precincts for the first time.
People in Box Hill will be able to travel underground through the Suburban Rail Loop from the new Box Hill station interchange to Monash Clayton in about 15 minutes when the project is complete.
From Broadmeadows to Deakin in Burwood, the travel time will be around 25 minutes – less than half the time it currently takes in a car. Trips to the Airport will also be slashed – including just 20 minutes from Heidelberg, and 35 minutes from Glen Waverley.
Passengers on existing city-bound lines will also benefit. The modelling – undertaken using the Victorian Integrated Transport Model – shows congestion on our existing major lines will be slashed by up to 20 per cent.
Currently, Victorians need to travel on existing rail lines in to the CBD and back out again, just to get where the need to go. By providing a direct underground route to our biggest jobs, health and education precincts, the Suburban Rail Loop will take thousands of passengers off existing rail lines.
On the Glen Waverley Line, there could be up to 20 per cent fewer passengers, equating to 1,650 fewer people on city-bound trains in just the morning peak – the equivalent of two full trains.
On the Frankston line that figure is up to 10 per cent – or around 1,500 fewer passengers – while on the South Morang line trains will be up to 15 per cent less congested, with up to 1,600 fewer passengers needing to travel in to the city in the busy morning peak.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“Only Labor has a plan to get Victorians where they need to go on fast underground rail – meaning 200,000 people can leave the car at home and catch the Suburban Rail Loop instead.”
“It’s the big idea Victoria needs to create jobs, ease congestion, and connect the whole state – and only Labor will get it done.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“We’re removing level crossings, building bigger trains and delivering the Metro Tunnel – and we will do the work to build a new underground rail line to better connect our suburbs and our regions.”
“Only Labor can transform our transport network – getting people home safer and sooner, no matter where they live.”