Opposition leader John Pesutto has pledged to try cancel the Suburban Rail Loop project if his government is elected in 2026.
The entire project is tipped to cost $216.7 billion, with the first part between Cheltenham and Box Hill already under construction.
I believe I read the Liberal Party in Victoria has seen office for 4 years in the last 26 years and the world has completely moved on since they were last in office. Public Transport is in and they cannot understand this. The liberals refused to fund any public transport projects in the Kennett Years (they actually were responsible for the demise of the transport system) and they have never learnt from that fiasco.
They closed railway lines, isolated communities and post Kennett they ignored the public on the need to invest in rail projects and lost all the seats on the Frankston Line they needed to win. Under this leader John Pesutto they just do not get it and nothing will change. If he gets back in it will be that stupid project called East West Link no one wanted and had no business case and would destroy public parkland. (Capt Bardy)
Mr Pesutto told Jacqui Felgate the state couldn’t afford to push on with the expensive transport project considering the other “urgent needs” in Victoria.
The Suburban Rail Loop is a project the people in Victoria want and need. The project ranks above the North East Link a bungle for the CFMEU. The Melbourne Airport Rail Line is another priority.
Click PLAY to hear John Pesutto’s full interview with Jacqui Felgate
“If we can (cancel the Suburban Rail Loop then we) certainly will,” he said on 3AW Drive.
“We can’t afford to be spending whatever it’s going to cost, and the big problem with that is it isn’t going to address the urgent needs that are mounting around our state.”