Australasian Railway Association boss Danny Broad has praised “an historic budget for Victoria,” welcoming the full funding of the Melbourne Metro project and extensive regional rail spending.
“The economic benefits to regional Victoria through the creation of jobs, urban revitalisation and growth, not to mention a more reliable and efficient regional rail network, will benefit generations to come,” Broad said following the budget’s release on Wednesday.
“Governments frequently issue reports and strategies, but they rarely follow through on them.”
Broad welcomed a $1.3 billion investment in regional infrastructure, which includes $518 million to upgrade the Ballarat line, $280 million to order 27 new V/Locity carriages from Bombardier, and $131 million to increase passenger services on the V/Line network.
“The duplication of a 17-kilometre stretch of single-track on the Ballarat line between Deer Park West and Melton, as well as additional passing loops along the corridor, will improve reliability and frequency of services significantly,” Broad said.
“The additional $280 million investment in 27 new V/Locity carriages will create an extra 2,000 extra spaces across the regional network, offering passengers a more comfortable, punctual and reliable journey.”
He also welcomed the announcement of funding to duplicate the single track between Heidelberg and Rosanna, on the Hurstbridge line.
“The Victorian Government’s recognition that Melbourne’s north-east corridor is congested and unreliable is welcome,” Broad said.
As for the budget’s ‘centrepiece’ – the full state funding of the Melbourne Metro tunnel, Broad said: “The Victorian Government’s recognition that this vital project is long-overdue and must be fully-funded immediately is the kind of visionary policy-making rarely seen from a state government.
“This is a visionary budget from the Daniels Government that has placed the people of Victoria as its centrepiece.”