There is something dramatically wrong when we cannot get passenger trains between Geelong and Ballarat despite infrastructure being available
WHAT WE CANNOT DO
We cannot get a rail line connected between Werribee West and Wyndham Vale despite this being an important project.
We cannot get a railway station built on a rail line ahead of the housing booming in the western areas of Melbourne. This is years after a suburb has been approved by the government.
We run dirty and insufficient diesel trains to suburbs of Melbourne adding to the toxic air at Southern Cross Railway Station.
We cannot get a train back to Clyde South despite 150,000 homes in the area, but we can get a train to Ararat a city of 8000 people.
We cannot provide more trains onto lines to Werribee and Craigieburn who are at crush levels.
We have failed to provide an airport rail line despite years of talk, talk and more talk.
We cannot electrify the Geelong Line for the environment to reduce carbon emissions and use renewable energy.
BUT WE CAN DO THIS:
We can invest $30b into a road that will only create further girdlock in the North East and a project without a valid business case.
We provide Transurban with $billions for a new tunnel into Melbourne to drive 50,000 additional vehicles into the city centre despite the Melbourne City Council taking steps to restrict vehicles into Melbourne
Spend $billions as Ben Carroll widening the road to Ballarat for trucks and bulldozing 1000’s of trees in the process some of significant meaning to our first nations friends.
IN SUMMARY:
We celebrate over a new bus route as our expectations of the government and especially Transport Victoria is so damn low.
mmm is hard not think the planners are getting kickbacks from the pollies who support the big trucking lobby groups and the cyclist group who push for rail trials…..
Most of these people in charge and some who support them are very anti rail and bitch about about road congestion and pot holes!!!
Moar monthly whinging by farty.
What projects Mike are the government undertaking to add capacity to the Ballarat and geelong lines? Add the western suburbs lines regarding the recent Werribee by election where capacity is. Ot there. The planning is not there. Stations arrive years after the Suburb is up and running.
Gee you sorry person bagging authors who put their Observation on current the events aren’t you?
What have you done as public servant to ehance the public rail system on your generous wages? Beside shining a seat? And looking your nose down at people?
The west of Melbourne has been ignored for decades by the Labour establishment. It is a 3rd world transport area with the government not lifting a finger to fix it.
If transport planning is money into the hands of the CFMEU and Transurban, which is what has happened then this is very poor indeed.