Melbourne Airport authorities have welcomed the Napthine government’s budget promise to get behind a new rail link to Southern Cross Station.
“The Coalition government is undertaking the detailed design, planning and consultation work on this important project,” Dr Napthine told the Liberal Party state council last week.
Melbourne Airport acting chief executive Adam Watson said the rail link would be great for Melbourne.
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“The construction of an airport rail link, along with the widening of the Tullamarine Freeway to three lanes, is critical to support the airport’s growth,” he said.
“As the gateway to Victoria, the proposed railway system from Melbourne Airport will be an important part in connecting visitors to our great city and state.”
The new rail project proposes using dedicated tracks from the airport to Albion, where it will join the existing rail network to Southern Cross Station.
The new service promises a train every 10 minutes in peak hours, with the trip to the airport expected to take about 25 minutes.
The link will consist of a combination of at-grade and viaduct rail lines that will run from Albion, through the Jacana freight corridor and airport land, terminating at a new elevated station at the airport and a rail flyover at Albion.
Mr Watson’s comments came in the same week the airport finalised its submission to the Sunbury-out-of-Hume panel, which contains proposals for the airport to move from Hume into the new municipality.
The airport submission highlights the need for “a strong working relationship with local government”, which it says it already has with the Hume council.
“In this regard, the best outcomes for the state and regional economies will be achieved where the relevant single municipality is appropriately resourced to manage the complex needs and impacts of an airport within its boundary,” the airport submission states.
“It should . . . preserve the curfew-free status of the airport while protecting amenity for future residential developments.”
