The Victorian Labor government has committed to ordering 54 new VLocity carriages to the value of $340 million for the Geelong and Ballarat lines if re-elected in next week’s state election.
The 18 new three-carriage trains are to be delivered by Bombardier Transportation. The government has said it would place the order within the first year of being re-elected, with all the trains to be completed by 2021.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the investment would see the creation of 500 jobs in Dandenong and the south east.
“We’re upgrading every regional rail line and with this order we’ll see more trains, more often on the busy Ballarat and Geelong lines. Even better, we’ll do it while backing local jobs,” Andrews said.
“When it comes to delivering real projects and a real plan for regional rail, only Labor has the track-record locals can rely on.”
As part of the investment, platform work at Southern Cross Station will also be completed and funding provided for new stabling and cleaning facilities to support the new trains.
State transport minister Jacinta Allan said the government’s $848.5 million investment in regional trains had already provided a 40 per cent increase in regional rail services, with V/Line now running more than 2,000 services every week.
“We’ve added hundreds of services across the network. But we know there’s more to do and these new trains will deliver a more reliable and comfortable journey for thousands of passengers,” Allan said.
“Labor is delivering real projects now and planning for our next big build to make sure regional Victorians have reliable public transport they deserve.”
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