Avalon CEO hopes rail solution takes off

THE chief executive officer of Avalon Airport has touted a potentially much cheaper alternative to the long-awaited railway link to the airport. AirAsia’s 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’s $5 billion announcement by the Prime Minister towards a railway line to Tullamarine Airport.

Speaking at last week’s 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. “Instead of bringing the railway to the airport, we’re going to bring the airport to the rail.”

This would involve creating an “Avalon Airport” station between Little River and Lara with a terminal for passengers to check in and drop off their bags. They would then jump on a “people mover” – possibly an autonomous bus – for a four-kilometre, four-minute journey to the departure lounge at the airport.

“Firstly, I think that would be a lot cheaper than $15 billion (the estimated cost to build a train to Tullamarine) – if they gave us 15 billion to build that, we’d give back about 14 and a half,” Mr Giddings said. “It would really give us an absolute advantage. There’d 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’s CBD and about a four dollar fare from Geelong. ”

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.

Corangamite federal member Sarah Henderson said federal funding for Tullamarine rail did not mean there was no money for Avalon rail. “We 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.”