{"id":526157,"date":"2026-09-01T22:59:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T12:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=526157"},"modified":"2026-09-01T16:07:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T06:07:18","slug":"liberals-promise-new-hybrid-trains-for-melbournes-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=526157","title":{"rendered":"Liberals promise new hybrid trains for Melbourne’s west"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Victorian Liberals are promising new hybrid trains for commuters in Melbourne’s booming west, as a newly upgraded station at Melton opens today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state government said it would run higher-capacity V\/Line trains on the Melton line from next year, while it finishes investigating electrification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
In 2018, the Victorian Labor government first promised to separate and electrify the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“[It’s] an actual way to solve the problems of suburban trains to Melton and Wyndham Vale in a realistic timeframe,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We can’t wait, we need a solution that is soon, that is quick, that is affordable.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Guy said hybrid trains would also have even bigger capacity and the potential to travel through the City Loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The nine-car V\/Line trains the government are announcing is just substandard surface,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“They’re country trains going into Australia’s fastest growing growth corridor. We believe there should be suburban trains for suburban people.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Melbourne
The Victorian Liberals say the new trains would also have the ability to travel along the Melbourne City Loop. (AAP: Tracey Nearmy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Minister for Public Transport Vicki Ward said the hybrid train commitment was a “bizarre side-quest”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“[The opposition is] investing in trains that will become redundant when electrification comes through,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“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.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":307724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,47,186],"tags":[18796,8],"class_list":["post-526157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-rail-news","category-v-line","tag-jess-wilson","tag-victoria"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t