Sean Bonham, Executive General Manager of ACCIONA’s Specialist Businesses, has said he doesn’t think a high-speed rail network between Melbourne and Sydney will happen “in his lifetime”.
Speaking at the Civil Contractors Federation Victoria Road and Rail Sector Outlook Breakfast on June 24, Bonham argued that while he would love to see it come to fruition, he’s not sure the money is there.
“My only criticism of the Suburban Rail Loop is that it probably stops some of the other things that need to be done, it’s such a big project,” he said.
“High speed rail would be a super expensive project and I don’t know if we can afford it. Do we need it? Yes, and anyone who has travelled in Europe – what a way to go.
“But we’re going to be talking hundreds of billions of dollars.”
Bonham noted that a lot of corridors and farmland would also be needed for a high-speed network, which would be controversial.
“I think some big decisions are going to get made,” he said.
“Sydney – Newcastle might get built in my lifetime, but I don’t see the other ones happening for 50 to 100 years, unfortunately.”
Bonham, who has 40 years of experience in the railway industry, added that he supports the Suburban Rail Loop.
“I think we take a very short-term view of our lives,” he said. “Melbourne is growing at a rate of knots, so it’s really exciting times but it puts a lot of pressure on our infrastructure.
“We’ve got to have this decision in Victoria about whether we keep growing out or whether we start to grow up.
“I think the Suburban Rail Loop is a real challenge for us mentally, to actually start focusing on what that looks like.”
