A total of $A 152.7m ($US 109.6m) will be provided in equal measure by the Australian federal and Victorian state governments to fund preparatory work on the project to electrify the 37.3km Melton commuter line in Melbourne.
The funding will used to finalise detailed design, scope and costings that will inform delivery of the project. Preliminary work will also include site investigation, undertaking environmental assessments, obtaining planning approval, and securing power supply for the 1.5kV dc overhead electrification system.
The state government says electrification will enable more trains to run along the Melton corridor and allow the regional VLocity DMU fleet to be redeployed to other high-demand corridors. Further funding of the project, along with construction timelines, is due to be announced next year.
Work started earlier this year on the $A 650m Melton Line Upgrade, jointly funded by the federal and state governments, that will boost line capacity by 50% and enable the operation of nine-car trains. The project, which also includes providing additional stabling capacity at Cobblebank, is expected to complete by the end of 2027.
“We are working together to upgrade our transport infrastructure and ensure our rail networks are reliable and resilient for Melbourne’s growing west,” says federal minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government, Catherine King.
“For too long, this rapidly expanding community has relied on regional services that were never designed to handle metropolitan-level demand," says Lauren Streifer, CEO of Public Transport Association Australia and New Zealand (PTAANZ).
For detailed information on rail projects across Australia, subscribe to IRJ Pro.
