Labor rolls out its own fast rail plan

STATE Labor has countered the Liberal Nationals’ pledge for fast rail with one of its own, saying its plan includes a “major overhaul” to the Geelong line.

Earlier this month, Premier Daniel Andrews said his government would contribute another $100 million towards delivering fast rail to the regions if it was re-elected.

The new Western Rail Plan is expected to take a decade to be completed and includes planning for the full separation of regional and metro services on the Geelong and Ballarat lines.

Labor says it will complete the full business case and technical work required to deliver a major overhaul to the express-Geelong and Ballarat lines to run fast trains, including the potential full electrification of these lines with new electric regional rolling stock.

The works would also include two new electrified metro lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale with possible new stations, with the Wyndham Vale line potentially becoming the western section of the Suburban Rail Loop; and extra tracks between Sunshine and the CBD to run extra services, most likely through a new rail tunnel that would also be used by airport-bound trains and integrated with the Airport Rail Link.

Work on the full business case will begin in 2019 in conjunction with the business cases for the Suburban Rail Loop and Airport Rail Link.

“This plan will deliver the transformation that our state needs – electrification of rail lines out to the west, and fast rail to Geelong and Ballarat, returning country trains to country communities,” Mr Andrews said.

“Only Labor can be trusted to build the regional public transport we need for the future: taking cars off the road, reducing travel times and getting you home safer and sooner.”