THE chief executive officer of Avalon Airport has touted a potentially much cheaper alternative to the long-awaited railway link to the airport.\u00a0AirAsia\u2019s decision to soon begin twice daily flights to and from Kuala Lumpur has renewed discussion about improving public transport links to Avalon, as has last week\u2019s $5 billion announcement by the Prime Minister towards a railway line to Tullamarine Airport.<\/p>\n
Speaking at last week\u2019s Geelong Business Network event at Little Creatures, Avalon Airport chief executive officer Justin Giddings said there was a better conceptual solution than simply extending the heavy rail network.\u00a0\u201cInstead of bringing the railway to the airport, we\u2019re going to bring the airport to the rail.\u201d<\/p>\n
This would involve creating an \u201cAvalon Airport\u201d station between Little River and Lara with a terminal for passengers to check in and drop off their bags.\u00a0They would then jump on a \u201cpeople mover\u201d \u2013 possibly an autonomous bus \u2013 for a four-kilometre, four-minute journey to the departure lounge at the airport.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirstly, I think that would be a lot cheaper than $15 billion (the estimated cost to build a train to Tullamarine) \u2013 if they gave us 15 billion to build that, we\u2019d give back about 14 and a half,\u201d Mr Giddings said.\u00a0\u201cIt would really give us an absolute advantage. There\u2019d be no heavy rail works required, trains could bypass the station no worries, and it would be a six or seven dollar fare (to Avalon station) from Melbourne\u2019s CBD and about a four dollar fare from Geelong. \u201d<\/p>\n
Avalon will need an international terminal before AirAsia flights can begin (with the airline keen to start services by the end of the year). Mr Giddings said site inspections for the 5,500 square metre stand-alone building would start within weeks, with the plan to have the shell of the building up within a couple of months.<\/p>\n
Corangamite federal member Sarah Henderson said federal funding for Tullamarine rail did not mean there was no money for Avalon rail.\u00a0\u201cWe are already working very closely with Avalon Airport to support their transition to an international airport, which will require substantial investment through the border agencies and also further infrastructure. All I can say is: watch this space.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE chief executive officer of Avalon Airport has touted a potentially much cheaper alternative to the long-awaited railway link to the airport.\u00a0AirAsia\u2019s decision to soon begin twice daily flights to and from Kuala Lumpur has renewed discussion about improving public transport links to Avalon, as has last week\u2019s $5 billion announcement by the Prime Minister […]<\/p>\n