More great news for Melbourne as the State Government has agreed to match the Federal Government’s $5 Billion commitment to fund the long-awaited rail link from Melbourne Airport to the CBD.
Here is what you need to know about the project:
1. Due to the scale of the project, the rail link will take a long time to be built. With hopes for the project to begin construction in 2022, travellers will have to wait another decade or so until the rail link is complete.
2. Sunshine station will undergo a major upgrade, which will in turn benefit Geelong and Ballarat lines. Once complete, Sunshine will become a major transport hub and house a new “super station”.
3. Possible new stations to be added to the “Flemington Link” which could see new stops in Maribyrnong and one at Victoria University.
4. Residents and businesses in the west will not be disturbed by the new rail link even though the route would require less tunnelling and was the most cost effective.
5. $8 billion will go towards the airport rail link, while the remaining $13 billion is expected to be picked up by the private sector
With Melbourne Airport currently servicing more than 30 million passengers per year and moving around 250,000 tonnes of freight, it is important that Melbourne Airport continues to upgrade and redevelop its infrastructure, so that it can support an anticipated 68 million visitors per year by 2038. Plans for a new domestic terminal, upgrades to international facilities, and extending/adding a new runway will start within the next 12 months.