CITY HALL & STATE AT ODDS OVER FAST RAIL:

City will push ahead despite state’s position

MAYOR Bruce Harwood says the City of Greater Geelong will push ahead with its fast rail proposal despite the Andrews Government deeming the project technically and financially unachievable.

An alliance, titled Stronger Together — which is led by Geelong City Council and includes the Committee for Greater Shepparton — has released a proposal for highspeed rail in regional Victoria.

The plan involves highspeed electrified rail from Southern Cross Station to Geelong and Ballarat; and to Bendigo and Shepparton via the Tullamarine airport link. In a letter to Cr Harwood, Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said Rail Projects Victoria found the Stronger Together proposal lacking in detail.

“I am advised the proposal suggests that 200 kilometre per hour electrified train lines can be constructed from Southern Cross Station to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton within seven years without any additional funding required from either the Victorian or Commonwealth Government beyond that already committed to construct Melbourne Airport Rail,” Ms Allan writes. “RPV’s assessment is that this is not achievable. I acknowledge that the proposal outlines that a revenue model would fund the balance of the project’s cost but with little detail provided.

“As you are aware, the State Government is the level of government with the experience and responsibility for the delivery of major public transport infrastructure and we will work cooperatively with both the Commonwealth and local governments to deliver this project.”

In his reply to the minister, Mr Harwood said the Regional Alliance does not intend to abandon Stronger Together.

“The Regional Alliance has worked collectively with our reports receiving the highest reviews and endorsement from some of Labor’s most eminent economic reform and infrastructure leaders,” he wrote

“While we accept that ‘it is the State Government that is the level of government with the experience and responsibility for the delivery of major projects’ we are not convinced that the current State Government has done justice to linking regions and capital into a better, more powerful and fairer economy with practical and affordable faster regional commuter rail.”.

“This is not about Geelong only: it is about the state’s regions and the desired effects that can only come from a network of fast rail cities.”

In March, the Morrison Government announced it would deliver $2 billion to bring fast rail to life between Geelong and Melbourne dependant on matching state funding. Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said the Federal Government wanted to see the new rail link built “as quickly as possible”.

A State Government spokeswoman said the Government is spending $100 million planning for faster rail to Geelong as part of its Western Rail Plan.