Road, rail and plane plans mean big building in Victoria
Victoria’s travel plans are up for debate, as parties spruik their transport visions ahead of this year’s election.
Victoria's Premier Denis Napthine has promised the long-awaited rail link between the Meblourne CBD and Tullamarine airport, around 25km away.
“It is time that this rail link was built and it will be built by a Coalition Government here in Victoria,” Dr Napthine pledged in a speech to the Liberal State Council.
“This project has been on the books for over 40 years. Thirty million passengers a year use Melbourne Airport and that is expected to double in the next 20 years,” he said.
The plan has been slammed already by the Opposition, with the Labor party demanding more details and saying their transport vision is a better choice.
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews says Dr Napthine’s announcement was just a headline grab that probably would not be delivered,
He says the Opposition’s plan is more focused on the people who rely on Melbourne public transport every day. They want to fix 50 of the city’s worst level train crossings and generally run more trains for longer hours on an expanded rail network.
Tony Morton from the Public Transport Users Association has commented that governments like to use public transport for an election sweetener, saying everybody would be keen to see fully fleshed-out details in either of the plans.
Meanwhile, as the Victorian Coalition Government tries to build its other big transport plan - the East West Link to help commuters travelling across the city – there is potential legal concern over the houses that will be in the way.
Two homes have been acquired by the government to make way for ramps and other infrastructure to connect two existing freeways.
The owner of one home has told the ABC he is lucky he got a deal, as nearby neighbours are stuck owning houses which will soon be underneath an off-ramp.
“Our family has achieved a good outcome for us and at the same time I know there are dozens of other families out there who may be more affected than we are and may get nothing,” said homeowner Thracey Vinga.
Not so lucky for Ande Bunbury, who says there has been no offer for her property.
“There are already homes in this area that are unrentable,” Ms Bunbury said.
“So really I'm stuck here, I'm really in limbo.”
The Linking Melbourne Authority (LMA), which is in charge of the East West Link, says properties have been bought only they are fully or partially inside the official project boundary lines.
Ms Bunbury says her house is on the edge of the line.
Lawyer Manisha Blencowe says the lines keep moving.
“It leaves a deal of uncertainty for other property owners who want to sell their properties but are facing constantly moving goal posts,” she told the ABC.
“The assessment panel has said they don't think it's their role and the Linking Melbourne Authority says they don't have the power to make these decisions so people are left with a great deal of uncertainty.”
A new set of project border definitions could come from the assessment panel’s final report to the Victorian Government, due in May.