- Published:
- Tuesday 28 August 2018
A re-elected Andrews Labor Government will embark upon the biggest transformation of public transport in Australia’s history, with a new underground rail network set to circle Melbourne connecting every major regional train line from the Geelong line to the Gippsland line through Melbourne Airport.
Regional Victorian passengers will be big winners thanks to regional super-hubs included in the project at Clayton, Broadmeadows and Sunshine providing better access to jobs, education and health services outside the CBD – with 200,000 vehicles also forecast to be removed from our major roads.
This will build upon the Labor Government’s $1.75 billion Regional Rail Revival plans that are upgrading every regional passenger line in the state.
No longer will people living across Victoria’s north-east and the Goulburn Valley have to travel through the centre of Melbourne to access world-class education and health services, including Monash, Deakin and La Trobe Universities and major hospitals including Monash, Box Hill and Austin hospitals’.
Regional rail users from the Seymour, Shepparton and North East lines will also be one stop away from Melbourne Airport via a regional super hub in Broadmeadows, providing the connection train users need.
In the last four years, the Andrews Labor Government has embarked upon the biggest transport building program ever – delivering safer country crossings, fixing regional train lines, adding hundreds of services and investing in regional roads.
Across the north-east this has included – taking the fight to Canberra to get the North East line upgraded to a standard locals deserve, fixing the Shepparton line, getting the design started for new trains, upgrading stations and making country crossings safer.
The Suburban Rail Loop is the big, bold new project our state needs for the future – Labor’s vision for a modern, connected transport network that will continue to make Victoria great and help connect.
The project will create up to 12 new underground train stations, linking into every existing major suburban and regional line. Modelling projects strong patronage in both directions throughout the day, with 400,000 trips a day by 2051 set to make it Victoria’s busiest rail line – alongside creating 20,000 jobs.
Labor will invest an initial $300 million in a full business case, planning and pre-construction works, with work on the first sections in Melbourne’s south east between Cheltenham and Box Hill and the connection between Sunshine and the Melbourne Airport expected to begin by the end of 2022.
Exact station locations, route alignment, rolling stock, and staging will be confirmed through the full business case and technical work, including extensive consultation and environmental assessments.
A project of this massive scale – amongst the largest in the world – will be built over multiple decades, with the first sections expected to take around a decade of construction. State, Commonwealth and private sector contributions, as well as value capture opportunities, will be required to fund the project.
Business case development, detailed design and community consultation will commence in 2019, with work on the first stage expected to begin by the end of 2022.
Quote attributable to Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“This is the underground train system a growing Victoria needs – connecting all Victorians to jobs, education, hospitals and shopping without needing to change trains in the CBD.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes
“We said that we’d fight to get the North East line fixed, so it can run the modern services locals expect and deserve. With a regional super hub at Broadmeadows connecting to the Airport, this line will be even better.”
Quote attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp
“We’re already fixing up the Shepparton line, and now we are delivering the biggest investment in public transport in Australia’s history, giving regional passengers easy and direct access across Melbourne.”