A multibillion-dollar plan initiated under the Napthine government to avert a looming congestion crisis on Melbourne’s busiest railway line could be adopted by Labor in a revised form.
The $2-$2.5 billion Cranbourne-Pakenham rail upgrade was the first project launched under the Coalition’s controversial “unsolicited proposals” infrastructure strategy, in which the private sector was encouraged to pitch major projects to government.
The proposed upgrade for the Dandenong rail corridor included 25 new high-capacity trains, the removal of four level crossings, three rebuilt stations, a new train depot and modern signalling.
But the project fell into limbo when the former Napthine government baulked at signing contracts before November’s election.
In opposition, Labor slammed the “veil of secrecy” around the project but it is now considering adopting all or part of the proposal as it prepares a first budget in which public transport will feature prominently.
The Rail Transformation Consortium behind the scheme has in recent days pitched to the Andrews government a reworked “interim offer” for the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, which are used by more than 65,000 passengers each weekday and traverse some of Melbourne’s most congested level crossings.
It is believed the high-capacity signalling that would have enabled trains to run more frequently along the line has been largely stripped from the revised proposal.
Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said the Andrews government would remove 50 level crossings over the next eight years, including 14 on the Cranbourne-Pakenham line, purchase 30 new metropolitan trains and build Melbourne Metro.
Opposition public transport spokesman David Hodgett called on Labor to commit to the project.
Public Transport Users Association president Tony Morton said a solution to peak-hour overcrowding on the Dandenong line was an urgent problem that had been left to fester for many years.
