The Victorian Liberals are promising new hybrid trains for commuters in Melbourne’s booming west, as a newly upgraded station at Melton opens today.
If elected in November, the Coalition is promising $1.7 billion for 25 new hybrid diesel-electric trains on the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines.
The lines are currently served by smaller, diesel V/Line trains, with local communities waiting for promised electrification of the line to run larger, more frequent Metro services.
The state government said it would run higher-capacity V/Line trains on the Melton line from next year, while it finishes investigating electrification.
Decades after the idea was first floated, former premier Daniel Andrews promised to separate and electrify train lines to Wyndham Vale and Melton in 2018.
Shadow Minister for Public Transport Matthew Guy said Labor’s plan for electrification was “never going to happen” and that hybrid trains could already use the existing line.
“[It’s] an actual way to solve the problems of suburban trains to Melton and Wyndham Vale in a realistic timeframe,” he said.
“We can’t wait, we need a solution that is soon, that is quick, that is affordable.”
The opposition said, if successful at the polls in November, it was committed to manufacturing these trains in Victoria and would aim to deliver them by 2030.
Mr Guy said hybrid trains would also have even bigger capacity and the potential to travel through the City Loop.
“The nine-car V/Line trains the government are announcing is just substandard surface,” he said.
“They’re country trains going into Australia’s fastest growing growth corridor. We believe there should be suburban trains for suburban people.”
Mr Guy said the Opposition’s promise to deliver hybrid trains did not mean they were giving up on electrification, but simply finding a “quicker solution” for western Melbourne residents in the interim.
Minister for Public Transport Vicki Ward said the hybrid train commitment was a “bizarre side-quest”.
“[The opposition is] investing in trains that will become redundant when electrification comes through,” she said.
“We’re about ensuring the electrification of this rail line; we’re not about delaying it by investing in trains that won’t be able to go into the [City] Loop.”
One thing to Consider those train are used in NSW…
And NSW rail system is more extensive then Vic….
Ie: Central to Newcastle take 3-4+ hrs one way…. But to places like Grafton it over 5hrs on the train one way which currently uses the XPT.
That looks like replacement for XPT but they had a spat about their off the shelf design modifications for a sleeper in a carraige….
Means more $$$ to modify their term and condition to the Spanish rolling stock manufacturing company changing its design for nsw railway travelling requiremeants!