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$30bn public transport plan for Melbourne

Public Transport Victoria have released their 20-year vision for the state, but Melburnians still face a 15 year wait for a train link to the airport.

The extension of the network to Doncaster and Rowville will also be a huge wait according the Public Transport Victoria.

The group released their 20-year vision report on Wednesday, which included an unannounced rail tunnel from Clifton Hill to Fishermans Bend via Parkville and the electrification of rail lines to Geelong, Melton and Wallan, The Age reported.

PTV chief Ian Dobbs said the changes will mean a capacity growth to 1.7 million passengers by 2031 and it expected to cost about $30 billion.

''The new timetables and operational changes, combined with the projects included in the plan, will provide a 50 per cent increase in peak-hour capacity within 10 years and a 130 per cent increase within 20 years. This will allow 130,000 additional passengers to be carried into the city in the morning peak,'' the report says.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder said he was happy with the long-term plan laid out by PTV.

''We are very happy with the document and we believe that document should drive the future planning, growth and development of our rail network,'' he said. ''This plan is not just for the government of the day,'' he said.

PTV said the ability to deliver on the projects would depend on state and federal funding.

THE PLAN

Stage 1: The next five years

  • Regional Rail Link
  • Seven new trains
  • Hurstbridge line upgrade
  • Eltham stabling
  • 33 new high capacity trains, able to carry up to 1100 passengers
  • 40 new V/Locity carriages
  • Williams Landing Station
  • Grovedale Station
  • Southland Station
  • High capacity signalling trial on Sandringham line.

Some projects already started

Stage 2: Within 10 years

  • Melbourne Metro rail tunnel project
  • Melton rail line duplication
  • Dandenong rail corridor upgrade
  • 33 high capacity trains, order and deliver a further 70 trains
  • High capacity signalling on the Sandringham, South Morang and Hurstbridge lines, and between Sunbury and South Yarra.

Stage 3: Within 15 years

  • Melbourne Airport rail line
  • Rowville rail line
  • South Morang services diverted to rail tunnel between Clifton Hill and Southern Cross
  • Doncaster rail line
  • Melton line electrification
  • More high-capacity trains
  • Extend high-capacity signalling
  • Second Dandenong rail corridor upgrade

Stage 4: Within 20 years

  • More high-capacity trains
  • City Loop reconfigured for seven separate lines through the Melbourne CBD
  • Quadruple the line capacity between Burnley and Camberwell
  • Altona Junction to Seaholme duplication
  • Geelong and Wallan electrified lines
  • Extend South Morang to Mernda
  • Mooroolbark to Lilydale duplicated lines
  • Extend Werribee to Wyndham Vale
  • Extend South Morang line from Southern Cross to Fisherman’s Bend with a tunnel

ImageL abc.net.au

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