MPs stoke Sky Rail fear in duplication

THE debate about the contentious “Sky Rail” in Melbourne has come to Geelong, with two Liberal politicians demanding anything like it must be ruled out as part of Geelong’s rail duplication project.

The Labor state government is carrying out geotechnical surveys and community consultation about duplicating the Geelong-Warrnambool railway line between the South Geelong and Waurn Ponds stations.

Labor has also committed $3 million for planning the duplication of Barwon Heads Road between Settlement Road and Lower Duneed Road, which would include the Geelong-Warrnambool railway line crossing.

VicRoads has developed two design options for the Barwon Heads Road upgrade. Option one would create a road bridge over the railway line, while option two would create a railway bridge instead.

Sky Rail – which is installing three sections of elevated track to remove nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong – has been unpopular with some in the community, and Corangamite federal member Sarah Henderson and South Barwon MP Andrew Katos do not want similar sections of elevated track built here.

Bellarine Labor MP Lisa Neville has ruled out Sky Rail on Barwon Heads Road, but Ms Henderson said it had been two weeks since the two MPs first asked Premier Daniel Andrews to assure them that Sky Rail would not be used in the duplication.

“I fought very hard to deliver $224 million of Commonwealth funding to upgrade passenger rail across our region including $110 million for the duplication of the track between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds. Victorian Labor has no authority, however, to construct Sky Rail.

“Daniel Andrews and his transport minister must immediately rule out Sky Rail for Geelong.”

“Not one person in Victoria voted for Sky Rail,” Mr Katos said.

“Building Sky Rail through Geelong would create an eyesore that will generate a public backlash.”

For more information on the Barwon Heads Road duplication, head to vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/regional-road-projects and click on “Barwon Heads Road duplication planning study”.