Melbourne Airport rail link

[ozbob]

It is hard to take it seriously.  The Herald Sun was given the story before the Premier of Victoria.   Just another stunt in a long line these past weeks by Team Mal.

Melbourne Airport Rail is a very vexed project.  None of the present plans are really optimal.  They really need to bite the bullet and think dedicated people mover (automated metro) separate from the present over utilised network.  I reckon they could do it by elevated rail above the freeway to the airport.   Airport <> Southern Cross. 

Anything else is just a waste of time in my view.  They could achieve better by dedicated bus lanes for Sky Bus, rather than the convoluted approaches that they seem to be thinking.

[Stillwater]

It augers well for the SCL to get a dollop of federal government funding once the North Coast Connect fast rail business case is ready in about 12-18 months.  Cross River Rail, as Ms Trad keeps telling everyone, is a project funded 100 per cent by the State of Queensland.

[#Metro]

Ms Trad is livid, lol.
Malcolm is desperate, probably going to do a Julia Gillard on SC line upgrades.

(Ms Gillard suddenly announced $$ for Kippa-Ring, sprung it on Anna Bligh).

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/OzKitsch/status/984302166666981376

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/andrew_lund/status/984216531839037440

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/984321644679200768

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> What's my line? Route dispute could delay airport rail by five years

Victorians will wait at least five years before construction of a rail line to Melbourne Airport even begins, despite Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull saying "the time for talk is over".

But instead, the debate is only just heating up over the preferred route to the airport.

The route that Canberra is leaning towards - to include a massive new rail tunnel from Southern Cross station to Highpoint shopping centre and then the airport - is estimated by state sources to cost more than double the Victorian government's preferred link.

Mr Turnbull went to Melbourne Airport on Thursday to promise Victoria $5 billion towards the cost of a rail line to Tullamarine, first promised in 1963 but never built.

Melbourne Airport is Australia's second busiest, with 35 million passengers a year. It is projected to grow to 65 million by 2033.

The Andrews government was dragged reluctantly by Mr Turnbull in 2017 to back an airport rail link, after the Prime Minister said his government would spend $30 million studying the project.

Victoria had expected its preferred route via Sunshine to cost in the order of $10 billion.

But it appears the federal government, which owns a sprawling 127-hectare former Defence Department site in Maribyrnong near Highpoint shopping centre, hopes to include that land in the rail project.

It would mean Highpoint was brought into Melbourne's rail network. This would require tunnelling of up to 26 kilometres - making that route less likely, as it would cost double the Sunshine route.

Canberra has given Victoria no assurances it will pick up the tab for the unpredictable costs of such a project.

The wrangling over the rail line's route means it will not start construction before 2023, Victorian Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said on Thursday.

Victoria should contribute half of the funding using money from the sale of Snowy Hydro scheme, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tells 3AW's Neil Mitchell.

Victorian rail and aviation planning experts backed the Sunshine route, saying it would help free up space on other metropolitan rail lines and link to V/Line, connect the city's south-east to the airport via rail, and get passengers to the airport from the CBD in 15 minutes.

In a statement issued by Mr Turnbull and other ministers on Thursday morning, the "city-shaping project" was described as "our $5 billion congestion-busting investment" that would "help reduce the strain on the Tullamarine Freeway".

Mr Turnbull wrote to Premier Daniel Andrews early on Thursday morning - after telling selected media about the plan on Wednesday - suggesting a 50-50 funding arrangement with the state.

The plan would use the $2 billion Victoria will get from selling its share of the Snowy Hydro scheme. Mr Turnbull proposed the federal government retain a 50 per cent ownership stake in the airport rail line.

Mr Turnbull's promise to partly fund the rail line was welcomed by Ms Allan. But she pointed out that the promise, first made in Mr Turnbull's 2017 budget, needed to be fleshed out.

"It's good the Prime Minister has finally found Victoria on a map, and we'll accept this funding given how much he short changes our state," she said.

She said there was a lot of work still to be done on a preliminary business case, due to be completed in September.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten said he supported a rail link to Melbourne Airport, but also said careful consideration was needed to select the best route.

"I want to take traffic out of the backyards of that part of north-west melb where I live," Mr Shorten said. "But I want to make sure we're not taking people's backyards as well."

A preliminary business case is already underway,  and is expected to recommend a route when it is released in September.

The Andrews government's advisor Infrastructure Victoria said in 2016 that the link would be needed within the next 15 to 30 years and would cost up to $5 billion - far less than is now being floated.

The four rail link options the Prime Minister released on Thursday are the same as those discussed in a 2013 report completed by Public Transport Victoria. That report backed the Sunshine route.

The Public Transport Users Association welcomed the airport plan, but said the rail line must be part of the suburban railway network or it would fail. "If it's not going to suffer the problems of other projects, it's critical that it's properly integrated," said president Tony Morton.

Planners also backed the rail line, but warned it needed to be part of a broader transport strategy for Melbourne. RMIT expert Jago Dodson said the funding was welcome news, but warned against pressing ahead with a new airport link that would compete with new roads or disrupt other parts of the rail network.

The RACV's Bryce Prosser urged the government to ensure the route was fast, cost-effective, and did not put added strain on the rail network.

"To make an airport rail service feasible, it will need to allow for passengers' luggage and transport passengers between the CBD and the airport within 30 minutes at an affordable price, with frequent services people can rely on," said Mr Prosser, the RACV's ‎general manager of public policy.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Why the airport rail link barely stacks up and shouldn't happen yet

Just months ago in December, Infrastructure Victoria published the most comprehensive analysis yet of Victoria's infrastructure needs.

It examined 300 potential projects, many of them desperately needed, and pronounced the Melbourne Airport Rail Link only "supported in principle".

And not for a long time.

Upgrades to SkyBus should be pursued first, as "a more cost effective solution in the short-term".

How long was that short term? Infrastructure Victoria said the airport rail link wouldn't be needed for 15 to 30 years.

The supporting analysis prepared by consultants KPMG, Arup and Jacobs said the most cost-effective time for a Tullamarine railway to open would be between 2036 and 2039 - two decades away.

Infrastructure Victoria said if the rail link cost $3 billion to $5 billion, and was opened way into the future when the need was greater, it would have a benefit-cost ratio of between 1 and 1.4, meaning its benefits would exceed the costs - a conclusion that might not apply to the Turnbull government's proposal, which would cost more than twice as much and open as soon as possible.

The reason Infrastructure Victoria wanted to wait is that the alternative of using priority signals for Skybus is so much cheaper - a total cost of only $50 million to $100 million according to its estimates.

Giving buses priority all the way to Melbourne airport wouldn't even need dedicated lanes on the freeway, although it would on several of the roads leading up to it, including the entry and exit to Adderley Street and Footscray Road.

Ramp metering and priority traffic signals could do the trick, avoiding inconvenience to other users.

Infrastructure Victoria reckons the cheap changes will allow buses to run every three to five minutes during peak times with "a reliable 20-to-25-minutes journey time", in contrast to the rail proposal in which trains would run every 10 minutes, with a journey time to the city of 30 minutes.

Eventually, decades on, the freeway would become congested enough for the railway to make sense. But in the meantime, improving SkyBus provided "the opportunity to defer the significant cost of a heavy rail link to the airport".

The billions of dollars saved "could be used to fund other high priority projects".

Delaying projects that aren't yet needed is one of the best ways governments can manage money.

The Grattan Institute's John Daley puts it this way: "In capital investment, sequencing is everything. The value of deferring a project is enormous. Put another way, the cost of building a project early is enormous."

And in the next 20 to 30 years things might change. The report says in a few decades driverless cars may make the calculations different.

And the report delivers a warning: A rail link wouldn't allow users of public transport to have their cake and eat it too. For the train to make sense, city buses would have to stop, as they did in Sydney.

That's because the railway would scarcely bring about any increase in the number of passengers using public transport. In the words of the report, the increase would be "not that significant".

Driving to the airport would remain attractive, and become more so, which is one of the claimed benefits of the railway.

Premier Daniel Andrews supports the project. He has promised that construction will be "well under way" by the time the Metro Tunnel is completed in 2026.

And he'll be grateful for the money. Before the announcement, Treasury calculations had Victoria getting less than 10 per cent of Commonwealth infrastructure funds, even though Victoria accounts for more than 25 per cent of Australia's population.

Five billion from the Commonwealth will take it to 18 per cent.

[ozbob]

Sky Bertie will be around for many years yet ... 

Just shows how far off the mark Mal and political game is from reality hey?

[#Metro]

People should be happy that $5 billion is on the table. If not, Malcolm should just withdraw the funds and spend it elsewhere.

The key problem with MARL is the travel time. It will not be much better than an improved bus service without a more direct route and tunnel. If it is express only to the Airport, benefits are also lower as only airport passengers can use it.

The tunnel option costs more but that is counterbalanced against connecting a university, major shopping centre and a new suburb. So the business cases will have to be run again. It will be a close call with the tunnel option, as tunnels are expensive.

Another shortcoming is that only commuter rail has been investigated. The Tullamarine freeway has been widened in recent years, so there is possibility to take the median and inner car lanes and place a rapid tram or light rail there.

[BrizCommuter]

It is hard to take it seriously.  The Herald Sun was given the story before the Premier of Victoria.   Just another stunt in a long line these past weeks by Team Mal.

Melbourne Airport Rail is a very vexed project.  None of the present plans are really optimal.  They really need to bite the bullet and think dedicated people mover (automated metro) separate from the present over utilised network.  I reckon they could do it by elevated rail above the freeway to the airport.   Airport <> Southern Cross. 

Anything else is just a waste of time in my view.  They could achieve better by dedicated bus lanes for Sky Bus, rather than the convoluted approaches that they seem to be thinking.

Have to agree, an elevated automated fast metro above the freeway direct from Tullamarine to Southern X would be the fastest and most cost effective solution. The rail routes could not even compete with the bus in regards to time.

[ozbob]

Macrobusiness --> Melbourne airport rail link another costly waste

Last week, I questioned the efficacy of the announced $10 billion rail link connecting Melbourne airport to the CBD, noting that:

    the cost of a rail ticket is likely to be exorbitant, since Melbourne Airport's private operators are likely to impose significant rental charges on any railway station that is built on their land (as has occurred in Sydney);
    the rail link is likely to be significantly underutilised, since it is suitable only to tourists and those living in the CBD; and
    the existing SkyBus system could be expanded at much lower cost to taxpayers.

Since its announcement on Thursday, other commentators have also questioned the project's merits.

Infrastructure Partnerships Australia chief executive, Adrian Dwyer, is also concerned that the ticket cost is likely to be excessive:

    "Ticket sales alone will not be able to support the construction and operation of the airport rail link, meaning the commonwealth will need to put hard-­dollar grant funding on the table to keep fares affordable"...

    "For the airport line to be well used by the community and to open up the areas surrounding the precinct, ticket prices will need to be accessible and attractive to consumers"...

Of course, keeping "fares affordable" means taxpayers providing operational subsidies as far as the eye can see, which comes on top of the proposed $10 billion cost to taxpayers to build the project.

The Guardian's Greg Jericho is even more sceptical:

    ...those who use the airport will like it, but despite the prime minister's claims that "everybody in Melbourne uses this airport" the reality is they don't and not in sufficient numbers that will see the benefits from a rail link be widely spread.

    The prime minister argued that the rail link will be a "congestion-busting piece of infrastructure" and yet it is unlikely to do much...

    A study for Infrastructure Victoria by KPMG-Arup and Jacobs concluded that that the project will "have minimal impact on overall demand for road and public transport" and that as result the main beneficiaries would not be users of the Tullamarine Freeway but rather "travellers and people accessing Melbourne airport for leisure purposes".

    Similarly, as Infrastructure Victoria noted in its 30-year plan, the optimum need for link will be in 15 to 30 years' time – with the economically optimal opening year for such a rail link estimated to be between 2036 and 2039...

    But the project is popular – not surprisingly Bill Shorten quickly came out in support of the proposal – and in a pre-election budget, popularity rather than economic need will take precedence.

As I noted last week, there are far many other infrastructure projects far more worthy of $10 billion of taxpayer funding (let alone ongoing operational subsidies). A good start would be to examine Infrastructure Australia's Priority List:





As you can see, an airport rail link is nowhere to be seen.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/aussiewongm/status/989091070809174016

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Two routes emerge as top tickets for airport rail

Planners of Melbourne's proposed airport rail look to have a clear choice between two routes: through Sunshine, or through Highpoint and Maribyrnong.

Trains could reach Melbourne Airport from the CBD in as little as 15 minutes, and get travellers from Geelong to Tullamarine in less than 45 minutes, even after stopping at Sunshine, according to a group of experts.

But the Maribyrnong option – understood to be favoured by the federal government, which owns a large tract of development land along the route – could link high growth-rate suburbs in the north-west into the city's rail network, offering "value capture" that could help offset the project's cost.

Value capture is a way of generating revenue from higher property values and other commercial opportunities that would spring from the route of the proposed line.

A third option, a spur between the existing Craigieburn Line and the airport, is now considered unlikely because the suburban line is so heavily used that it would have to be duplicated to allow airport services to run with the required regularity.

The "Albion" option, proposed by Public Transport Victoria in 2012, which would run airport-bound trains on the Sunbury line through Tottenham, Footscray and Sunshine, is also now thought to be impractical due to the strain on the Sunbury line following the population boom in the western suburbs.

But the Turnbull government, which has offered $5 billion to help fund the long-awaited rail line, says it wants all options thoroughly examined in the early planning process currently under way.

Canberra says it is not pushing for any particular route, but that it does want each option to be genuinely considered.

It is understood the Prime Minister's office wants to share equal control with the Andrews state Labor government in return for Commonwealth financial backing, and may ask for the establishment of a joint federal-state authority to build the railway.

The Commonwealth is paying most of the $40 million cost of the business case, which is due to be completed in September. It will be trying to ensure the study does not become a rubber-stamp for Victoria's plan to link airport rail with the regional network in the state's west, making Sunshine the key junction.

The state government wants to run trains directly from Southern Cross to Sunshine and then straight out to the airport. It believes there is an opportunity for an "elegant" solution to link Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and eventually Shepparton into the regional rail network.

With Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Premier Daniel Andrews due for a rare face-to-face meeting to discuss the proposed rail line, the preferred route, as well as finance options, look set to be among the key talking points.

John Hearsch of advocacy group Rail Futures Institute, which has been lobbying for airport rail for years, says he and his colleagues firmly believe the Sunshine option is the better of the two contenders.

The rail expert said the Maribrynong route would require more tunnelling than the Sunshine option and was envisaged as a suburban line with several stops that would not allow the speed or frequency of service required for a successful airport link.

"It [Maribrynong] would be part of the suburban system, not a stand-alone railway, so they'd be mixing it with normal suburban passengers, you wouldn't have a specially dedicated, fitted out train designed for airport passengers," he said.

"The trip, because of multiple stops, is likely to be slower and the line would suffer all of the day-to-day travails of the suburban system.

"If it's a suburban service, it won't be suitable for having connections into the regional network."

Mr Hearsch said Melbourne airport rail via Sunshine could be on par with the Heathrow Express, which gets travellers from central London to the international air-hub in 15 minutes or Hong Kong's Airport Express which completes the 35 kilometre trip from the city in just 24 minutes.

[#Metro]

Um, both Sydney and Brisbane airport trains stop at suburban stations before going to the a Airport, as will the Perth one?

Sorry to disagree with "rail expert". Sounds like he wants rocket to the airport, not a train.

[ozbob]

Automated mono-rail will do fine. 

My Uncle, a civil engineer, has been working on and off MEL airport rail since he first graduated from Monash in the 1960s.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsMelb/status/1002824141278363649

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Melbourne Airport rail link fast-tracked as governments unveil timeline for regional rail package

THE route for Melbourne's airport rail link will likely be decided before November's state election as Malcolm Turnbull and Daniel Andrews put aside their differences to accelerate the project.

Four alternative routes are being considered but Mr Andrews heavily favours a line running via Sunshine, which would likely be the most cost-effective and open up access to Melbourne's growing western suburbs and regional rail lines.

Sources close to the negotiations say Mr Turnbull is open to all options and wants the preliminary work to be finished as soon as possible.

It comes as the Herald Sun can reveal the state and federal governments have locked in the timeline to deliver a massive $1.75 billion upgrade of the state's regional rail network.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Andrews have had a series of productive discussions in recent weeks about infrastructure, including how they will build the long-awaited rail line to Tullamarine after the federal government put $5 billion on the table in last month's Budget.

It is understood the early business case will be done in September, meaning a decision on the route is expected to be made before the state government goes into caretaker mode.

The leaders also discussed how they could work together on the $16.5 billion North East Link to connect the Eastern Freeway with the M80 Ring Road.

The state and federal governments are also now wanting construction companies to register their interest to deliver the regional rail package, which will see the Ballarat line upgraded by the end of next year.

The Herald Sun can reveal work on the Warrnambool line will be finished in 2020, the Bendigo line by early 2021 and the Gippsland line by late 2022.

A $160 million upgrade of the Geelong line, to be completed by late 2021, includes duplicating tracks around Waurn Ponds station to enable a future duplication to South Geelong.

The business case for this project has now been submitted to Infrastructure Australia. Victorian Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said it would remove notorious bottlenecks and "give passengers on regional Victoria's busiest line the train services they deserve".

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said more than 50 kilometres of tracks on the North East rail line had already been resurfaced as an in-principle deal was reached this week on a broader $235 million upgrade.

He said the $1.75 billion regional rail blitz would deliver huge improvements for passengers and create more than 1000 construction jobs.

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Melbourne Airport rail link preferred route emerges

A NEW Melbourne airport rail route will run through the western suburbs and via a super-sized Sunshine station to allow regional rail upgrades.

The Sunday Herald Sun has learnt that the federal and state governments are hopping on board the western alignment, with the positives of that option including cutting billions of dollars off the cost as well as allowing for a major regional cities boost.

Booming suburbs in Melbourne's west, where population growth is among the highest in the country, would also benefit. But another bonus would be that passengers on southeast lines — Cranbourne, Pakenham and Frankston — could board an airport train at Caulfield station.

This is because the favoured route would likely use the Melbourne Metro tunnel and existing Sunbury line to Sunshine, before turning off to run express to Tullamarine.

An announcement of details of the $10 billion plan is likely in September, with the final stages of a business case being developed.

The Turnbull Government has said it would provide up to $5 billion for the project but ­insists there is no preferred alignment, with detailed work being done on four options.

Some federal and state MPs have called for the line to go through Maribyrnong, where Commonwealth land is being sold and a new suburb will grow, but the two options being assessed would require extensive and expensive tunnelling.

Last week, Melbourne airport chiefs backed the plan to go west to Sunshine, via what is known as the "Albion East" route.

Questions have been raised about frequency of services using existing lines, and travel times from the CBD. But experts believe the trains could do the trip in under 30 minutes.

Last year, the Andrews Government said "untangling" regional services should be part of the plan, pointing to benefits for regional centres such as Geelong and Ballarat.

Both parties back a rail line but are yet to spell out how they would sequence its building and are waiting for a final route recommendation.

However, some sources believe planning and building the line could be completed around the same time or soon after the Metro tunnel, which is due to open in 2025.

[ozbob]

The Age --> 'Game-changer': Melbourne's proposed airport rail line could transform city's west

Melbourne's proposed airport rail line would be a "game-changer" for the city's west, sparking the creation of a jobs and tourism-led transformation of the suburb of Sunshine, according to the municipality's mayor.

As a route for the $10 billion line from the city through Sunshine and on to the airport firms up as the most likely option, the mayor of Brimbank said the project would open up Melbourne's west.

Cr Margaret Giudice has joined the state government and Melbourne Airport chiefs in arguing a high-speed train line from the CBD through Melbourne's western suburbs is the best way to deliver a "fast, frequent and affordable" airport rail link.

sform city's west
By Noel Towell
Updated25 June 2018 — 12:57pmfirst published 20 June 2018 — 11:55pm

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Melbourne's proposed airport rail line would be a "game-changer" for the city's west, sparking the creation of a jobs and tourism-led transformation of the suburb of Sunshine, according to the municipality's mayor.

As a route for the $10 billion line from the city through Sunshine and on to the airport firms up as the most likely option, the mayor of Brimbank said the project would open up Melbourne's west.

Cr Margaret Giudice has joined the state government and Melbourne Airport chiefs in arguing a high-speed train line from the CBD through Melbourne's western suburbs is the best way to deliver a "fast, frequent and affordable" airport rail link.

The federal government, which committed up to $5 billion for the project, is yet to express a clear preference for any of the three main route options but is understood to be getting more interested in the benefits of sending the line out west.

Momentum for airport rail is gathering after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met Premier Daniel Andrews this month to discuss the long-awaited project.

Further "productive" talks were held last week between Victorian Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan and federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher.

Cr Giudice told The Age that running a line through Sunshine that connected to the rail network in the state's west would help Australia's fastest-growing region to take-off.

"We're the heart of Melbourne's west, Australia's fastest growing region," the mayor said.

"If Melbourne's western region is going to be the size of Adelaide, and Brimbank is right smack bang in the middle of it, then why not create it here."

A business case for the airport rail link being prepared by the state government is due for publication in September but the federal government is understood to be keen to make more announcements about the project as soon as possible.

Sunshine is already an important retail and employment centre for Melbourne's booming western suburbs and its train station is a hub for the western V/Line network with the Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong lines meeting there.

Cr Giudice said an airport rail stop at Sunshine, with connections right across western Victoria, would take the precinct to the next level with restaurants, hotels and other employers flocking to be near the expanded rail hub.

But the mayor conceded there was a sales job ahead, convincing locals who like their suburb just the way it is, that the envisaged major changes are a good thing.

"It's important that we get it right and we don't make the community feel that they are being disadvantaged somehow," she said.

"We've got to make them understand that it's in the best interests of Sunshine and for the west at large."

The Sunshine route is one of three serious options for the alignment of airport rail with a route through Highpoint and Maribyrnong, creating a new suburban line and opening up growth corridors in Melbourne's growing north-west, also in the mix.

A third, less likely, suggestion is using the Craigieburn line with a spur between Essendon and Tullamarine.

But for the Brimbank Council, there is only only one option that makes sense and Cr Giudice says she and her colleagues will be ready when the next announcement is made.

"We're absolutely preparing for it, we're doing a lot of strategy work, a lot of policy work," she said.

"We're working very closely with the state government to make sure that whatever is created is state-of-the-art and nothing that you're going to go back on later.

"We want to do it once and we want to it properly.

"We can unlock jobs, growth, tourism, you name it, we can do it, it's going to be a game changer for the west, to bring airport rail here."

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Melbourne Airport rail link locked in with $5b pledge from state government

EXCLUSIVE: Work on Melbourne's long-awaited airport rail link will begin within four years, with the state government today pledging up to $5 billion to get the project built.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the new link, talked about for decades but now locked in to Victoria's infrastructure agenda, will cost between $8 billion and $13 billion.

Premier Daniel Andrews will today declare he will match a Turnbull Government funding commitment of up to $5 billion, meaning for the first time a Tullamarine airport rail line has the money needed to fly.

In a major election-year pitch that will spur on an infrastructure frenzy in Victoria, Mr Andrews said it was time to "get on and build" the much-hyped project and he would do it next term.

The premier said his commitment meant the new line would be built at the same time as the final stages of the $11 billion Melbourne Metro rail tunnel under the CBD — with construction to start by 2022.


"Only Labor has removed the level crossings and built the Metro Tunnel — and only a re-elected Labor Government will deliver the Melbourne Airport Rail Link," he said.

"This project has been talked about for too long, it's time to get on and build it and that's exactly what we'll do."

Early works on a rail line business case have shown the best route would be through Sunshine in Melbourne's west, with experts rating it as 4.3 out of 5 — higher than all other options.

As the Sunday Herald Sun revealed last month, this route would pave the way for a super station to be built in Sunshine that would also be a major interconnector for better services to Ballarat and Geelong.

Under the proposed Sunshine route, trains would travel along the existing Sunbury line, before heading north on the new tracks built along the Albion East rail reserve.

This would also include some tunnelling to minimise or potentially avoid acquisitions of homes and businesses.

A full business case spelling out the benefits and costs of each route will be finished next year.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the state's preferred option would also maximise the number of people likely to use the new line.

In April, Mr Turnbull said the "time for talk is over" and the train service would finally become a reality if the Victorian Government hopped on board.

He wrote to Mr Andrews calling for a 50-50 contribution to the "iconic piece of infrastructure".

The state's agreement to this today is also a major step in a thawing of the relationship between Mr Andrews and Mr Turnbull — both of whom want to be known as infrastructure builders.

Four routes for the Tullamarine line are being considered, including two through Maribyrnong to also cater to communities where Commonwealth land is being developer.

However, that would require extensive and expensive tunnelling.

Governments, public transport advocates and tourism groups have repeatedly talked about the world's "most liveable city" needing a rail line to its major airport but the project has been repeatedly overlooked.

Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten and state opposition leader Matthew Guy have also backed a link in the past but are yet to lay out their full pre-election transport plans.

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Regional hubs will win big with Melbourne Airport rail link

KEY regional centres will get boosted train services thanks to a super-sized Sunshine station as part of the Tullamarine Airport rail line plan.

Passengers from regional hubs such as Ballarat and Geelong will get to the airport 30 minutes quicker and could usher in fast rail.

Under the Andrews Government's preferred route for the $8-13 billion project the 12km airport link would be built from Sunshine to Tullamarine, using existing rail reserves northwest of Sunshine station.

The Andrews Government will argue that one of the benefits of this route, besides less tunnelling so potentially a lower cost, is it will also fit with a long-term plan to create fast-rail services to Geelong, currently being assessed through a $50 million planning study.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said building the Sunshine option would benefit the most people.

"The Andrews Labor Government will build the airport link via Sunshine, so that all Victorians can access the airport by rail, no matter where you live," she said.

"Not only will this deliver fast train services to and from the airport, but it will pave the way for fast rail to Geelong and Ballarat."

It is understood senior members of the Turnbull Government are interested in the potential for regional service upgrades thanks to the project, broadening benefits of what it calls a nation-shaping project.

If the Sunshine option is taken, passengers in Melbourne's southeast would be able to travel through the forthcoming Metro rail tunnel all the way to Melbourne's west — or potentially the airport if a change is not required at Sunshine.

Both the federal and state governments will spruik people in these suburbs as other big winners from the $8-13 billion project.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1020813444327485440

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1020825690617229312

[#Metro]

^ Queensland Government doesn't even have sufficient trains to operate Cross River Rail and cannot even run its current full timetable properly. If only state governments could be put into administration like local councils could!

[techblitz]

^ turnbull is entitled to shun bailiey on that alone...
Another possibility for the decision is who`s infrastructure will strain first?
benchmarked on future population growth.....safe to say Melbourne which is running @ 3 times more than Brisbane hence you would favour Melbourne to have the larger congestion cost bill...

[#Metro]

Just go look at Mark Bailey's Twitter feed to see how partisan political he is. The current lot seem to have lost their grace and negotiation. There they are with spoon and fork banging on the table.

Daniel Andrews is red team. It sounds like he is capable of respectful negotiation with blue team and that's why he has the $$$.

Much of these funding issues are purely down to tax system design. There is a good case for states to be responsible for income tax.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Melbourne airport rail up and away with Andrews government $5b pledge

The Victorian State Government says it can build a 12 kilometre rail line from Melbourne's CBD to the airport without forcibly acquiring homes or businesses along the route.



The Victorian State Government says it can build a 12 kilometre rail line from Melbourne's CBD to the airport without forcibly acquiring homes or businesses along the route.

Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday that his government's plan for a new airport rail link, which could cost up to $13 billion, will rely on existing rail corridors and tunnels to get to Tullamarine via Sunshine.

The project now has bipartisan support in Victorian politics with Opposition Leader Matthew Guy confirming on Sunday that the Coalition would build the airport rail if it is elected in November.

Mr Andrews said work on the long-awaited rail link to Melbourne Airport could be under way within four years if his government is re-elected in November, saying the Sunshine route "stacks up" over other options.

The huge infrastructure project was kick-started by a pledge of $5 billion from the Turnbull government's federal budget in May.

Mr Andrews and his Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan promised on Sunday to match the Commonwealth investment with $5 billion of state money to build the railway - which the state says will cost between $8 billion and $13 billion - if Labor retains government at November's state election.

The Premier committed to a start on airport rail as the final stages of the massive Melbourne Metro tunnel under the CBD are built in 2022.

The state government is pushing hard for its preferred option of a line through Melbourne's western suburbs and linking Geelong and Ballarat to the network with a hugely expanded rail hub at Sunshine.

A "Strategic Appraisal" published on Sunday, said the western alignment offered better connections to more areas of Melbourne with its link to the Metro Tunnel and better access for regional Victorian towns through an upgraded Sunshine interchange.

The western route can be built cheaper and quicker than other options, according to the government's document.

But a fully detailed and costed plan will not be completed until 2019, the Premier and Minister said on Sunday.

The Andrews government is increasingly confident that they are persuading the federal government that the Sunshine route is the best route.

Asked on Sunday morning if homes and businesses would have to be acquired to build the line, the Premier said no.

"No, and that's one of the important strengths of the Sunshine option," he said

Mr Guy said on Sunday that the Coalition would push ahead with the project if it won government in November, committing to use the federal money to make a start and saying the Sunshine route was the obvious "common sense" option.

"That was really the only sensible route," he said. "Why would you suggest any other route when you've got the Albion rail link which is broad and standard gauge, operating within five or six kilometres of the airport?

"The upgrade of that line, connecting back to the airport was the most sensible, obvious, straightforward way to do it. It's amazing it's taken the government nearly four years to come to that realisation."

Lorie Argus, chief of parking and ground access for Melbourne Airport said the two governments' announcements showed airport rail was "high on the agenda".

"We just know that airports need rail links and it's a critical part of the passenger journey," she told reporters.

Ms Argus said the airport expected the rail option to be "competitive" with SkyBus, which is about $19 one way, and for the two services to co-exist to maximise passenger options.

[#Metro]

13 billion sounds incredibly expensive! Hopefully that's a max estimate

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Melbourne Airport train plan gets funding, bipartisan backing

A NEW airport rail link is predicted to shuttle travellers from the city to the airport in about half an hour.

The Herald Sun revealed yesterday that a re-elected Andrews Government would match a $5 billion cash splash from its federal counterpart.

Combined, the funding is enough to get the long-awaited link off the ground and under construction by 2022.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the trip from the city to Tullamarine was expected to take about 30 minutes, but a business case currently under way would confirm the exact timing.

The link, to cost between $8 billion and $13 billion, will run through Sunshine and connect regional lines to high-speed rail.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy also confirmed his support for the airport rail link.

But he questioned the government's commitment to the project because it had not appeared in this year's Budget or the forward estimates.

"One has to ask if it's more than a newspaper announcement or if it is serious," Mr Guy said.

"I don't know how this prop­osal could get anywhere near $13 billion.

"Having said that, we need to build an airport rail link. I'm supportive of building it."

[ozbob]

13 billion sounds incredibly expensive! Hopefully that's a max estimate

https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/1021063561223626752

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/urbanizationist/status/1021190938645835776

https://twitter.com/urbanizationist/status/1021193150826627072

[ozbob]

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/getting-on-with-airport-rail-link/

Getting On With Airport Rail Link

Premier 12 September 2018

The search is on for businesses, investors and constructors with the know-how and experience to help deliver the Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

Premier Daniel Andrews joined Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan at Sunshine Station today to open the Registration of Interest (ROI) – the beginning of market engagement for providers that can help deliver this visionary project for all Victorians.

If re-elected, the Andrews Labor Government has committed up to $5 billion to the project, which will run from the CBD to the airport via Sunshine.

The full Business Case is currently underway in partnership with the Commonwealth, with the project set to begin construction by 2022 under a re-elected Labor Government.

The start of market engagement is the next major step to make the project a reality. The ROI will help government assess which organisations have the experience and capability to help bring the project to fruition, as well as gauging the interest of potential private sector investors and operators.

Rail Projects Victoria will lead the global registration of interest for organisations interested in the future development of the Airport Rail Link. The search includes designers, engineers, rail systems providers, rolling stock providers, investors, financiers, developers and other rail infrastructure providers.

The Andrews Labor Government has made sure the rail link will deliver benefits to all Victorians, with the route set to connect regional Victorians and all of Melbourne via a new super hub at Sunshine.

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link will also form the north-western section of the Suburban Rail Loop, an underground rail network forming a circle around Melbourne's suburbs. A re-elected Labor Government will invest $300 million for the business case to get this project underway, in addition to the $5 billion for construction of the Airport Rail Link.

Regional Victorians will benefit from the Suburban Rail Loop via the super-hubs at Sunshine, Broadmeadows and Clayton. These direct connections into growing employment precincts outside the central business district will provide all Victorians with better access to jobs and services.

Further information is available on railprojects.vic.gov.au/airportraillink. All registrations of interest should be lodged at arl-roi@railprojects.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

"We're already building the Metro Tunnel, removing level crossings, and expanding our roads – now if re-elected we'll build the Melbourne Airport Rail Link and Suburban Rail Loop our state needs."

"Only Labor can be trusted to deliver the public transport we need to take cars off the roads and get you home safer and sooner."

Quotes attributable to Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan

"The Victorian Liberals did not build one major public transport project in four years – we've removed level crossings, we're building the Metro Tunnel and getting on with the work for a Melbourne Airport Rail Link."

"The search is on to find the best providers to develop a world-class airport rail link – that won't only connect the CBD and the airport but deliver massive benefits to regional Victoria."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/JacintaAllanMP/status/1039708859462385664

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Consortium aims for 20-minute trip on city-to-airport link

TRAINS from the city to Melbourne airport would run every 10 minutes and trips would take just 20 minutes under a plan for the $15 billion airport rail link.

Tickets will cost $20 and tunnels will take passengers on dedicated lines through Sunshine under the proposal to be presented to the state government tomorrow.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal a private consortium wants to spend $5 billion on the project and start work in 2020.

The bid — by Melbourne airport, Metro Trains, Southern Cross station and super fund giant IFM Investors — would involve custom-built trains running around the clock via a major new transport hub at Sunshine.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal their proposal includes:

BUILDING 27km of tracks between the city and the airport — including twin tunnels through west Melbourne — along the state government's preferred route via Sunshine.

A STATION beneath the airport forecourt to take travellers directly into the terminals.

A MAJOR redevelopment of Southern Cross station, which would also overhaul the troubled Spencer St shopping centre. The new rail tunnel portal into the station would align with La Trobe St.

The construction of dedicated tracks would give travellers a reliable 20-minute express service running every 10 minutes at peak times that would not clash with suburban services.

Modelling produced by the AirRail Melbourne consortium shows that would also free up capacity for an extra 16 regional rail services to run from Southern Cross every hour.

Travel times for regional commuters would be cut by 10 minutes, with Sunshine becoming a hub for commuters travelling to and from Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Metro Trains acting managing director Leah Waymark said it would be a "world-class" service allowing travellers to "plan their journey with precision", rather that battling traffic on the Tullamarine Freeway.

The consortium has also forecast the airport rail link would take 15,000 cars off the road every day in Melbourne's north and west.

The plan will be reviewed as a market-led proposal by the state government, which this week called for engineers, designers and construction companies to register their interest in building the project.

Designs produced by the AirRail Melbourne consortium show what Melbourne airport boss Lyell Strambi said would be "a seamless passenger experience at the airport, properly integrated between the train carriage and the terminal".

Airport rail tickets — priced similarly to the current SkyBus service, and half the cost of an Uber trip from the CBD — would also be fully integrated into the myki ticketing system.

IFM Investors, a $112 billion fund manager, already owns a quarter of the airport as well as Southern Cross station. The Sunday Herald Sun revealed in 2016 that IFM was considering how it could become involved in building the rail link.

Under the plan, IFM would keep the ticket revenue, with chief Brett Himbury saying the rail link would become a "dependable long-term" investment for a fund that looks after the superannuation of half of Victoria's working population.

A joint federal-state government business case for the project is expected to be completed by the end of next year, with construction to start in 2022, but the consortium argues work could begin in two years.

The federal and state governments have each pledged $5 billion for the link.

BY THE NUMBERS

- $15 billion plan with $5 billion from the AirRail Melbourne consortium

- 20-minute trip between the airport and the CBD

- Trains every 10 minutes in peak times

- Services running 24/7

- 12,000 jobs supported in each year of construction

- Work could start in late 2020, two years earlier than expected

- 27km of new, dedicated rail lines

- One-way tickets less than $20 in today's prices

- 10 minutes cut off regional rail trips to the city

- 15,000 vehicles taken off the road in Melbourne's north and west each day

- Capacity for 16 extra regional rail services to Southern Cross every hour

COMMENT: A SMART IDEA THAT JUST MIGHT TAKE OFF

AIRPORT rail has long been the Holy Grail of Victorian transport projects.

This year, after half a century of dithering, all the pieces have started falling into place. Malcolm Turnbull offered $5 billion, Daniel Andrews followed up with $5 billion of his own, and today the private sector is offering to top that up with another $5 billion.

But this is no pie-in-the-sky offer from a super fund giant with dollar signs in its eyes.

IFM Investors own Southern Cross station and a quarter of Melbourne Airport, and it had long been suspected they would want to get involved in building a rail line linking its lucrative assets.

Now they've gone one better, stitching up Melbourne Airport and Metro Trains to help develop the most comprehensive vision we have seen for this long-awaited project.

Dedicated rail lines, a fast 20-minute service, affordable tickets, purpose-built trains — this is everything experts say a modern airport rail connection needs.

The AirRail Melbourne consortium will deliver their plan to the state government tomorrow, and it will be put through a rigorous process to see if it will deliver value for money for taxpayers.

While Andrews may be cautious about another market-led proposal, given the backlash over Transurban's role in the new West Gate Tunnel, this is different.

Metro Trains and Melbourne Airport had to be involved in building this rail link, and IFM is offering serious money to help out.

Plus, they want to follow the state government's preferred Sunshine route, which opens up the possibility of fast rail connections to Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Even if this blueprint isn't accepted in its entirety, it sets a sensible course to put the train to Tullamarine finally on track.

[ozbob]

https://ara.net.au/

16 September 2018

AirRail Melbourne to secure the city's liveability

Today's AirRail Melbourne consortium announcement will contribute $5 billion to deliver the $15 billion
Melbourne Airport Rail link, using superannuation funds to finally shift the vital project off the shelf.

The Consortium of IFM Investors, Melbourne Airport, Metro Trains Australia and Southern Cross Station will be
ready to break ground two years earlier than currently planned, provide a 20-minute trip between the airport and
city and will also benefit regional Victorians.

Australasian Railway Association (ARA) CEO, Danny Broad said the essential project has sat on the shelf for long
enough and its time for it to proceed.

"The Victorian Government has said the door is open for private infrastructure funding and after debating for
more than 50 years, AirRail Melbourne has a solution on the table that needs to go ahead," said Mr Broad.
"Melbourne's population is set to double and the city's liveability will only be maintained with continued
investment in infrastructure projects like this.
"The consortium ticks all the boxes, financial security with IFM Investors, MTA's local and international rail
experience and is book-ended with the Melbourne Airport and Southern Cross Station.

"Rail is proven to have far-reaching benefits and AirRail Melbourne will be no different, benefitting regional
Victoria with additional capacity for the regions and creating jobs during construction and operation.

"Rail in Australia is booming, with unprecedented investment nationally. The AirRail Melbourne super train will
secure Melbourne's future liveability," concluded Danny Broad.

27 kilometres of new track and twin rail tunnels will form AirRail Melbourne. The project will support 12,000 jobs
each year during construction and stimulate 13,000 jobs in Melbourne's west and Victoria's regional areas. The
service will operate 24 hours per day and reduce regional travel time into the city by 10 minutes.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Private consortium proposes 20-minute trip to Melbourne Airport under $15b plan

A new train service to Melbourne Airport could be up and running within nine years under plans unveiled by a new consortium offering to build the $15 billion project.
Key points:

    The proposed $15 billion project will be split three ways: between the Victorian and Federal Governments and the private consortium
    There will be 27 kilometres of new track, including two tunnels
    Sunshine station will be upgraded to a superhub and a new underground station would be built at the airport

The AirRail Melbourne consortium includes superannuation fund IMF Investors, Melbourne Airport and Metro Trains and will contribute $5 billion to the plan.

The Federal and Victorian Governments will contribute $5 billion each, and the project would be built in six or seven years starting in late 2020 and opening a year after Melbourne Metro opens in 2027.

"What this means is together with government, this project will now total $15 billion and mean Victoria finally gets a world-class airport rail service and so much more," project leader Danny Elia said.

Under the plan, 27 kilometres of new track will be built between Southern Cross station in Melbourne's CBD and Melbourne Airport via a new "super hub" in Sunshine.
New airport train station

There will also be twin tunnels between Southern Cross station and Sunshine and a new underground train station at the airport.

"To achieve an excellent world-class customer experience, it is integral to have an underground station at the airport and that's what we'll be building as part of this proposal," Mr Elia said.

    "It will mean seamless world-class experience using specialised airport trains and a ticket price of under $20, meaning you won't only save time but also money."

Asked if he thought it was the right price, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said: "Ultimately you've got to always be conscious of value, otherwise people won't use it."

He expects there to be interest from other private sector partners in the project.

"We'll work through the detailed proposal that they've put forward in the usual way, in a methodical way," he said.

"I did say in relation to the airport rail and suburban rail loop that there would be a stampede from the private sector to be involved in these projects. They're the biggest public transport infrastructure projects in the country's history."
Project for 'all of Victoria'

The twin tunnels at the centre of the project will be the key to unlocking more capacity in the metropolitan rail system in the city's west and linking up with regional areas.

The tunnels will be used by the airport rail link for one third of the time and providing for more trains coming in and out of the city from places like Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Mr Elia said the plan would unclog congestion and cut 10 minutes from train trips.

There will be more than 10,000 new train trips each peak hour for people in the city's west, Mr Elia said, and it would take thousands of cars off the roads.

He said the private consortium "supercharges" the project to make it more than just a link to the airport.

    "It's a complete gamechanger for people in the regions and in the western suburbs of Melbourne trying to get into and out of the city," he said.

"What the route through Sunshine means when you compare it to any of the other options being considered is two million Victorians get to enjoy the benefits of this airport rail link."

Mr Elia said more than seven million Australians would own a piece of the "nation building" project through their superannuation.

The plan comes as the Victorian Government promises $150 million to increase the number of carparks at suburban train stations by 20 per cent.

That equates to 11,000 parking spots on top of the 55,000 already available.

There will be an extra 1,500 new parking spots along the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, including 400 at Cranbourne station and 450 at Pakenham station.

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Victorian state election 2018: Morrison Government backs Sunshine route for airport rail

EXCLUSIVE: The route for Melbourne's long-awaited airport rail link has been locked in by the Morrison Government, paving the way for construction to start as soon as 2020.

The Herald Sun can reveal the federal government has backed Victoria's preferred option for a rail line from the city to the airport via a new super-station in Sunshine, which would also allow for major regional rail upgrades.

The agreement means the project can move quickly towards construction once this weekend's state election is decided, with both major parties in Victoria broadly supportive of the Sunshine route.

Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge wrote to the Victorian government before it went into caretaker mode to agree on the route, with sources saying the decision was made to urge Victoria to "get on with the job" of building the link.

Premier Daniel Andrews locked into the Sunshine option earlier this year and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has described it as "the only sensible route".

A private consortium — including Melbourne Airport, Southern Cross station and Metro Trains — has put $5 billion on the table to help build the project, with its version including a massive new tunnel from the CBD to Sunshine.

The Andrews Government is considering the tunnel as part of its "Western Rail Plan" to enhance train services to Geelong and Ballarat.

It is understood the state Opposition also prefers the Sunshine route to tie in with its planned regional rail overhaul, and has a favourable view of the consortium's proposal.

The federal government has offered $5 billion for the project but Mr Tudge, in his letter, raised concerns that Mr Andrews's equivalent commitment was not detailed in the state Budget.

The state Opposition has not confirmed its airport rail spending pledge and it is unclear if both major parties will account for the project in election costings released on Thursday.

The election winner will review the full business case — due to be completed next year — to determine the project's final cost, and what Victoria needs to commit in partnership with the Commonwealth and the private sector.

The Sunshine option, costing between $8 and $13 billion, has been chosen over other routes including a line through Maribyrnong, or using the Craigieburn line with a spur between Essendon and Tullamarine.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has also backed airport rail but has not made concrete funding commitments if he wins the next election.

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Opposition Leader Bill Shorten locks in funding for airport rail link

The route for Melbourne's long-awaited airport rail link will run through the western suburbs no matter who wins the next federal election, with Bill Shorten locking in support for the project.

The Opposition leader has backed Victoria's preferred option via a super station at Sunshine, promising to keep the $5 billion committed by the Morrison Government in the Budget.

The Herald Sun on Wednesday revealed the Sunshine route had been locked in, paving the way for construction to start as soon as 2020.

Mr Shorten said the airport rail link was "50 years overdue" and needed to be built as soon as possible.

"The Sunshine route certainly makes sense because it means we can connect ­regional Victorians to the line as well," he said.

"If I'm elected Prime Minister, I will make sure the federal government pays its share of an airport rail link, and we'll work with Dan Andrews to get it built.

"Labor can pay for this ­because of the tough budget choices we are making, including to close tax loopholes and make sure multinationals are paying their fair share."

Mr Shorten's comments mean all major sides at both state and federal level have committed $5 billion each for the project.

A private consortium — including Melbourne Airport, Southern Cross station and Metro Trains — has put an additional $5 billion on the table to help build the project, with its version including a massive new tunnel from the CBD to Sunshine.

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Technical and commercial advisors appointed for Melbourne Airport rail

More than 100 local and international companies have registered their interest to take part in the construction of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link (MARL), and the State Government has named key advisors for the project.

A joint venture of Aurecon, Jacobs and Mott MacDonald has been named technical advisor for the project, which will build a rail connection from the CBD to Melbourne Airport via Sunshine.

In a statement from the Premier's Office the government cited the members of the AJM joint venture's track record on projects like London's Crossrail, Sydney Metro Northwest, Auckland's City Rail Link, and the Metro Tunnel project in Melbourne.

The joint venture has begun site investigations along the proposed MARL corridor as part of early planning work.

Meanwhile, KPMG has been appointed as a commercial advisor for the project.

"We are not wasting a minute in getting this project planned, designed and delivered," Premier Daniel Andrews said on December 13.

"The Melbourne Airport Rail Link is the next step in our transformation of Victoria's public transport network and a key part of the Suburban Rail Loop."

"The Airport Rail Link will benefit all Victorians," added transport infrastructure minister Jacinta Allan, "delivering a new super hub at Sunshine and paving the way for fast rail to the regions."

The state selected the Sunshine route for MARL after a strategic appraisal found it performed better than alternatives via Maribyrnong, Flemington and Craigieburn.

The Federal Government, which has committed $5 billion to the project, came out in favour of the Sunshine route in late November.

Development of a detailed business case is underway, with the project set to begin construction by 2022. Next steps include stakeholder engagement work to help inform the business case, and further detailed planning.

The Registrations of Interest phase of the project resulted in more than 100 registrations from companies around the country, and around the world.

Rail Projects Victoria, which led the RoI program, said "more than 100 high calibre local and government organisations" from design, engineering, construction and finance sectors were keen to take part.