Melton City Council has welcomed the commitment by the Victorian Liberal and National Parties to invest $1.7 billion to deliver 25 new hybrid electric trains for the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines if elected, as an interim measure to increase rail capacity in Melbourne's growing west.
Council supports any proposal that delivers more rail services and greater capacity for commuters along the Melton rail line and is interested in understanding more detail about how the proposed hybrid services would operate and when they would be delivered.
While hybrid trains could provide a short-term boost to capacity, the proposal must support, not delay, full electrification of the Melton rail line. Council's long-standing position remains clear, the Melton rail line must be duplicated and fully electrified by 2030, in line with Infrastructure Victoria's recommendation, with additional stations at Mt Atkinson and Thornhill Park.
As the City of Melton's population continues to increase, more than 300,000 residents will rely on the Ballarat rail corridor, which is already under pressure during peak periods.
Modelling shows that electrification would increase public transport use by 27 per cent, remove 12,000 cars from local roads each day, and deliver faster, more frequent services.
Quotes attributable to City of Melton Mayor Cr Lara Carli:
"Council welcomes any announcement that recognises the urgent need for more capacity on the Melton rail line."
"Hybrid trains may help provide additional services in the short term, but our community needs to know when they would be delivered, how they would improve the existing network and how this proposal fits with the long-term electrification our residents have been promised since 2018."
"Our residents deserve to have efficient, frequent trains with increased capacity. We are calling on all major parties to commit to delivering full electrification of the Melton rail line by 2030, with new stations at Mt Atkinson and Thornhill Park to get the City of Melton moving."
