Article: Waiting game on rail link

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Waiting game on rail link

Waiting game on rail link
Article from: Herald Sun

Geraldine Mitchell

May 07, 2009 12:00am

LONG-suffering commuters in Melbourne's outer west are likely to get the rail link they desperately need despite the project being ignored in this week's State Budget.

The Herald Sun believes cash for the Regional Rail Link from West Werribee to Southern Cross Station will be approved in next week's Federal Budget.

The $4 billion rail line, formerly known as the Tarneit Link, was a key project supported in the Government's Victorian Transport Plan and earmarked to begin this year.

Premier John Brumby yesterday denied the project was off the agenda without funding set aside in the Budget.

"The Tarneit Link is part of our $38 billion plan," he said.

"We will deliver that plan, and we are working with the Commonwealth in relation to their contributions, and they've got a Budget next week and it's not for me to pre-empt their Budget."

Asked if the Government had set aside money for the project, Mr Brumby said all would be revealed after the Federal Government made clear its intentions.

The link would significantly reduce overcrowding on the Sydenham and Werribee lines as well as V/Line services on the Ballarat and Geelong lines.

It was identified in transport expert Sir Rod Eddington's report as crucial to ease congestion on western trains.