$50M BUDGET BOOST FOR GEELONG RAIL PROJECT:

GEELONG’S long- awaited rail duplication will receive a $50 million funding boost in tomorrow’s Federal Budget.

The announcement forms part of a $7.8 billion roads and rail package, almost a third of which is going to Victoria, and will help fund track dupli- cation between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds stations.

The upgrade would pave the way for V/Line to run extra services between Melbourne and Geelong and add platforms at Marshall, South Geelong and Waurn Ponds.

The funding follows a $100 million commitment for the project in last year’s Budget.

With a cost estimate of about $300 million overall, the latest commitment opens the door for a 50-50 funding split with the State Government.

Almost two years after planning money for the duplication was allocated, the business case is ready for consideration by Infrastructure Australia.

But it is not yet known how the project will tackle the South Geelong tunnel, considered a bottleneck by commuters.

Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson said duplication of the track was “crucial”.

“This brings to $150 million our government’s contribution, which demonstrates we are deadly serious about delivering this project,” she said.

Passenger trips on the Waurn Ponds, Geelong and Warrnambool lines have almost tripled in the past decade to 7.61 million in 2016-17, and the region’s population is expected to hit 500,000 by 2051.

Progress on the duplication follows a $50 million State Government pledge to investigate fast rail between Geelong and Melbourne.

Trains reaching between 250km/h and 300km/h will be investigated as part of the plan, theoretically enabling travel from Geelong station to Southern Cross within 20 minutes.

A number of options will be investigated, including the possible electrification to Geelong along the existing rail corridor. The study will also assess a high-speed rail line to Avalon Airport.