Melbourne’s population passed Sydney’s in 2023 due to a boundary change for the Significant Urban Area (SUA),which included the rapidly growing Melton area. By this specific definition, Melbourne’s population was 4,875,400 in June 2021, which was about 18,700 more than Sydney’s.
Melbourne is still the fastest growing city in Australia and a major metropolis akin to an Asian city with the most high rise office towers in the country.
Although we have now built by yet to open the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, and we have the Suburban Rail Loop underway, more is required. Melton is a large city in the west of Melbourne and one that will continue to grow with suburbs now created between the Melton area and the Melbourne western suburbs connecting Melton to the city. However, the government has delayed or shown no interest at all in providing better public transport services in the area.
The area needs the long awaited electrification of the Ballarat Rail Line between Melbourne and Ballarat replacing diesel powered rail cars with newer intercity rolling stock similar to that being deployed in Sydney and Regional NSW.
I doubt there is a plan to remove polluting diesel trains from the highly used Ballarat Rail Line. Further, the business line in the state outside of Melbourne is the Geelong Rail Line and this operated by polluting diesel trains unsuitable for 2026 and beyond. To make matters worse the government continues to buy outdated and obsolete Vlocity trains unsuitable for intercity services and being extremely costly to run and maintain. There is evidence of V/Line not maintaining the Vlocity trains as required due to the cost of maintenance.
Sadly we have wasted $40B on the north east link a project with no business case.
mmmm this what happen when bunch of desk jockey adviors in DOT some who not railway background and marketing people and lawyers has bigger say then professional who operate and ride the trains it’s self…….