Victoria’s infrastructure below par

<p>A report card into Victoria’s infrastructure has highlighted that development of rail access to the port of Melbourne, Geelong and Portland is critical.</p> <p>The report from Engineers Australia has signalled that Victoria’s roads, rail and utilities are barely adequate.</p> <p>Victoria’s ports came out on top, judged to be adequate apart from the port of Melbourne’s capacity constraints.</p> <p>The report said that access to the port of Portland by standard gauge and greater connections to the northwest lines are essential if the Portland area is to maximise development.</p> <p>The report found that access to Geelong port was good but all roads run through the city centre, which hinders truck movement.</p> <p>"The port needs dual gauge rail track to cater for logs on broad gauge from Gippsland and fertiliser, and New South Wales trade via standard gauge."</p> <p>State transport minister Peter Batchelor said the Government was working with the port to improve access to the port from the road network.</p> <p>It identified the rail projects to the port of Melbourne as critically important, including the upgrading of the Dynon yards, Tottenham to Dynon improvements, and increasing clearance through the Bunbury Street tunnel.</p> <p>The report also found the Geelong-Mildura upgrade is becoming more important with the expansion of the Murray Basin mineral sands deposits at Douglas and Ouyen.</p> <br />