Article: Train, tram fares jump to fund transport revolution

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Train, tram fares jump to fund transport revolution

Train, tram fares jump to fund transport revolution
Article from: Herald Sun

John Ferguson and Ashley Gardiner

December 09, 2008 12:00am

COMMUTERS will pay higher train and tram fares to pay for the $38 billion transport masterplan unveiled yesterday.

Premier John Brumby detailed the biggest overhaul of Victoria's road and rail system in more than 100 years.

But the huge price tag is already causing concern.

The State Government will contribute $25 billion to the plan, partly through increased public transport fares from 2012.

Mr Brumby said he was confident the Rudd Government would kick in $10 billion, but federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese last night declined to confirm if Victoria would get the nod.

"The Victorians have submitted their proposals to Infrastructure Australia and they will be assessed," Mr Albanese's spokesman said. "Funding will be made on the basis of the priority list."

The big-ticket items are:

$6 BILLION to build the North-East Link between the Eastern Freeway and the Ring Road.

$5.4 BILLION for hundreds of new trains, trams and buses.

$4.5 BILLION on a Metro-style rail tunnel from Footscray to St Kilda Rd.

$4 BILLION to build new regional rail lines to the CBD.

$2.5 BILLION for a road tunnel under the Maribyrnong River to ease West Gate Bridge traffic.

Twenty-one priority projects will be built over the next two years.

Mr Brumby backed the first half of an underground rail link from Footscray to the Domain interchange on St Kilda Rd, the first stage of a tunnel to Caulfield.

Instead of an 18km east-west road tunnel, as recommended by Sir Rod Eddington, a smaller crossing will be built under the Maribyrnong River to ease congestion on the West Gate Bridge.

Mr Brumby said the transport plan would transform Victoria. "This is the generational change we need to reduce congestion and drive jobs now - and to build for our future," he said.

He played down the impact of higher fares, saying they were modest in the context of the $38 billion plan.

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said the Government would live or die on its performance over the next two years.

"If Victorians do not receive and do not identify at the next election that there has been a massive improvement in our public transport and our roads and our transport infrastructure, then they should judge John Brumby accordingly," he said.

A 5 per cent increase in 2012 and 2013 would add at least 50c to a zone 1-2 ticket, which now costs $10.10. A zone 1, full fare daily ticket costing $6.50 would rise by 35c.

The increases would be above inflation.

A further $900 million will be raised through a special freight charge levied on trucks accessing Melbourne's ports precinct.

Mr Brumby promised the first of up to 70 new metropolitan trains from late next year. He fended off questions about the time lag to finish the strategy and the need for significant federal funds.

Sir Rod, whose work formed the centrepiece of the plan, said the Government had backed some of his key recommendations.

"It is clear that the public is demanding action on transport and, on balance, the Premier has delivered a plan that delivers on many of the key recommendations outlined in my report," he said.

Mr Brumby said many jobs would flow from the transport revolution: "Our $38 billion action plan will transform our transport network and it will generate up to 10,000 jobs a year during construction."

The RACV scored the strategy eight out of 10.

The failure to include the 18km east-west tunnel was a missed opportunity, spokesman Brian Mr Negus said.

"We hope the Government will revisit in its first scheduled review of the integrated transport plan shortly," Mr Negus said.

Metlink chief executive Bernie Carolan said the Metro rail tunnel was a major coup for commuters.