Regional Rail Link
| Timeframe: | Short term
| |  |
| Cost: | $4.3 billion | | |
What's happening
The project has reached another major milestone with the appointment of Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) and Arup to complete the final planning and geotechnical work before construction starts in 2010. For more information please
see the media release.
Initial works at platforms 15 and 16 of Southern Cross Station began in August as the first step in delivering this project as quickly as possible, with major construction along the route scheduled to start next year.
In June – September 2009, the Victorian Government sought public comment on an expansion of the urban growth boundary and related transport projects. One of these projects is the west of Werribee to Deer Park route of the Regional Rail Link. In November 2009, the Minister for Planning approved and is now seeking parliamentary ratification of the expansion of the UGB and these projects. For further information, see the
Department of Planning and Community Development website.
Project description
Regional Rail Link is a major new line running from West Werribee to Sunshine and then through to Southern Cross Station. The project will provide substantial increases in capacity and reliability for Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo services, and free up capacity for extra suburban services from Werribee, Sunbury and Craigieburn.
The project will include:
- up to 50 kilometres of new rail track- allowing regional services to run express into Melbourne and not be caught up with the growing number of suburban services
- two new platforms at Southern Cross Station
- transformation of Sunshine Station with extra platforms, and
- construction of a new rail bridge over the Maribyrnong River.
Project benefits
- Once complete, Regional Rail Link will deliver capacity for an extra 9,000 regional and suburban passengers every hour.
- Doubles the capacity of the regional rail commuter network when new carriages are taken into account.
- Allows regional trains from Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo to run express into Melbourne, without being caught behind suburban trains.
- Frees up critically needed space for additional suburban services on the Werribee, Sunbury and Craigieburn lines.
More information
Maps
Related projects