The Victorian government will spend $130 million delivering track and signalling upgrades on the Ballarat rail network, with the aim of providing more efficient routes for freight between the Murray Basin region and ports.
State transport minister Jacinta Allan announced the upgrade this week, saying that the works were a necessary addition to the original Murray Basin Rail Project and would also support any expansion of the passenger network in the future.
“We’re continuing our unprecedented investment in regional rail infrastructure and investing in works to remove a major bottleneck in the Ballarat area to improve efficiencies between rail passenger and freight train operations,” Allan said.
“The Freight-Passenger Rail Separation Project will ensure that we maximise the benefits of the Murray Basin Rail Project and the Ballarat Line Upgrade – that means more passenger services in the future and dedicated pathways for freight to the ports.”
Broad-gauge passenger services will be separated from standard-gauge freight services rail, decongesting rail pathways that through the Ballarat station precinct. One kilometre of track between Ballarat Station and North Ballarat will be duplicated, and the track layout of the corridor will also be reorganised.
The number of signalling systems on the Ballarat corridor also will be reduced, while the systems themselves will be upgraded.
The government has committed to ensuring a minimum of 42 weekly return freight paths from the Murray Basin region through Ballarat, with the Ararat and Maryborough loop providing the capacity to boost this to 65 if required.
The upgrades also aim at potential increases in passenger train services to Ararat and Maryborough, and allow future passenger rail to Dunolly by retaining the line’s dual-gauge connection from Maryborough.
Rail Projects Victoria, Transport for Victoria and V/Line will be seeking feedback from the freight rail industry as the plans for the project are finalised.
The announcement of the works comes as the second stage of the Murray Basin Rail Project nears completion, with freight trains now running between Yelta and Maryborough, and between Maryborough and Ararat on a standard gauge line.
Good to see spending in this area. But dual gauge!! Oh no!! Can the government please check out the technical feasibility and value for money of these schemes before spending taxpayer money. Broad gauge operation in the regional network may appear an easy option for the short term but it leaves a legacy of specialisation and isolation