The Victorian Government has pledged $520 million for the delivery of safety, reliability and capacity projects for the state’s public transport network under the State Budget.

State Transport Minister, Terry Mulder, said that the funding will allow for the delivery of new trains, construction of new stations and essential investment in safety, signalling and communications.

For the metropolitan rail network, investments include:

  • A $177 million order for eight X’Trapolis trains and associated stabling and signalling. The trains are due to begin running on the network from 2015.
  • $66 million to upgrade the Ringwood station precinct. 
  • $2 million to plan for the procurement of high capacity trains, which will be able to carry more than 1100 passengers.
  • $4.5 million in 2013-14 to develop the pilot High Capacity Signalling project on the Sandringham line.
  • $100 million to upgrade the Frankston line, with additional track, signalling, power and maintenance facility and station upgrades to improve service reliability and enable X’Trapolis trains to run on the Frankston, Williamstown and Werribee lines. 
  • $78 million to continue the rollout of Protective Services Officers (PSOs) at train stations.
  • $10 million to construct a four storey carpark at Syndal Station on the Glen Waverley line.
  • Significant funding for the construction of a new train station at Southland, subject to finalisation of commercial negotiations with the owners of Southland Shopping Centre.

“Punctuality on the rail network is at the highest level it has been for eight years and we have added more than 1,000 extra train services to the metropolitan timetable in the past two and a half years,” Mr Mulder said.  

“This continued investment, enabled by the Victorian Coalition Government’s strong economic management, and our work to strategically plan for the future with Public Transport Victoria, means we are looking forward to delivering even better services in the coming year.”

 

Regional areas will also benefit from this year’s Budget.

  • $22 million has been allocated to construct the new Grovedale Station on the Geelong line.
  • $9 million will be made available for a new station at Epsom in Bendigo.
  • $62 million will allow work to commence for the Non-Urban Train Radio Renewal project, to upgrade train communications on the V/Line network.