Fast rail group meets for the first time

DISCUSSIONS are being stoked about better rail services for Geelong passengers, with the state government’s Geelong Fast Rail Reference Group holding its first meeting this week.

The 18-person group is chaired by Geelong MP Christine Couzens and has stakeholders from councils, businesses, transport users, Indigenous groups and educational institutions, including seven community representatives chosen through an expression of interest process last year.

Speaking just before the meeting, held at Deakin University’s waterfront campus on Monday, Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said the group’s work would be part of the state government’s $150 million Western Rail Plan, including the full separation of regional and metro services on the Geelong and Ballarat lines.

She equivocated about whether a 32-minute journey from Geelong to Melbourne – as touted by the federal Coalition last month when it revealed a $2 billion budget commitment towards the project – was possible.

“We do want to see the fastest travel time possible between Geelong and Melbourne, but what we won’t do, which is what other political parties choose to do, is try to deceive the Geelong community about what actually can be achieved and when it can be achieved.”

She also questioned the federal Coalition’s timing of its announcements of $2 billion for fast rail and, earlier this week, $700 million for the South Geelong-Waurn Ponds duplication.

“If it was about the projects that need to be delivered, why didn’t the Prime Minister, when he was standing in Geelong just two weeks ago, announce the Waurn Ponds projects?

“The Geelong community knows, based on the experts and the advice, the Waurn Ponds duplication has to come before other works that need to be done on the network to deliver faster rail services.”

City of Greater Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood said Geelong-Melbourne fast rail should be delivered as soon as possible.

“We’re not saying no to any cash coming down here but it is about making sure the project’s done in a timely manner, budgeted correctly, and they get on and get the job done.”

He said the council’s investigations had found that the full fast rail works, including to Tullamarine Airport, would cost $19 billion to $20 billion.