Andrews Government Announces Victoria’s Biggest Ever Rail Project!!
Twelve New Underground Stations Coming to Melbourne!!
Metro Tunnel is set to become the tip of the iceberg for rail works in Victoria, with far more trains to come far more often.
Premier Daniel Andrews today announced a proposal for the “Biggest Public Transport project in history,” with a new underground ‘Suburban Rail Loop’ connecting Melbourne’s Western and Eastern Suburbs via the airport, at an estimated cost of $50 billion.
Image By Victorian Government
Posted to the Premier’s Facebook page this morning and having already garnered over 300,000 views, a promotional video has revealed that the new loop will link every rail line from Frankston to Werribee, including plans for 12 new underground train stations.
You can watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/DanielAndrewsMP/
“The suburban rail loop includes connections to major jobs precincts, universities and TAFEs, hospitals and retail centres,” the video explains.
“When complete, it will carry 400,000 passengers a day, taking thousands of people off existing city-bound trains and 200,000 vehicles off congested roads”.
Image By Victorian Government
Following up the Facebook post with a press conference earlier today, Mr. Andrews announced that the government has already committed $300 million to the project and expects “all the geotechnical work, engineering, design and planning will be done beginning first thing next year”.
And whilst construction is set to get underway in 2022, Public Transport Minister, Jacinta Allan, has warned that we won’t be hopping on the new line anytime soon, with completion not expected until at least 2050.
“These big projects take time,” Ms. Allen said in an interview with radio station 3AW this morning, “2050 is not that far off”.
Despite the lengthy wait Victorians face, Minister Allan believes the project is needed to meet the requirements of Melbourne’s booming population, set to reach 8 million by completion, and believes it will transform the city.
“It will change the way people move around, and connect with each other,” she said.
