Inquiry examines options to fund faster rail

ADVOCATES for faster train services between Geelong and Melbourne will be keenly following a federal Parliamentary inquiry into the best way to pay for it.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities is running an inquiry into options for financing faster rail and has so far held four public hearings, including on Monday this week.
At Monday’s hearing, the committee heard from investment specialists QIC and IFM Investors about infrastructure investment opportunities and challenges, and UK rail infrastructure expert Professor Andrew McNaughton gave an international perspective on lessons applicable to the Australian context.
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities chair John Alexander said major infrastructure projects would play an important role in Australia’s economic recovery.
“Strategic investment in rail infrastructure can enhance connectivity between Australia’s cities and regions, and deliver significant economic and social benefits to Australians.”
Locally, advocacy for better Geelong-Melbourne rail is being driven by the Stronger Together alliance, which describes itself as an “apolitical alliance of regional governments and business groups”, including the City of Greater Geelong council.
In 2019, the alliance released a report proposing a 200kmh fully-electrified regional commuter rail network between Melbourne and Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Latrobe, interim towns and Tullamarine and Avalon airports.
To be built in parallel with Airport Rail Link, it employs shared tunnels and alignments, and includes all parts of the network except Latrobe.
The Stronger Together report suggests all regional fast rail lines except Latrobe can be constructed within the $10 billion already allocated by the state and federal governments to the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, and can be delivered to Geelong and Ballarat within 5-7 years.
The inquiry into options for financing faster rail was launched not long after the establishment of the National Faster Rail Agency, which is working with state and territory governments on opportunities to develop better rail infrastructure.
The Coalition committed $2 billion in its 2019-20 budget towards fast rail between Geelong and Melbourne.