FLOOD recovery could delay a range of major rail and road projects, including a deferral of the Regional Rail Link.
Member for Williamstown, Wade Noonan MP believes this is bad news for Melbourne’s West.
Mr Noonan said the $4.3 billion Regional Rail Link project is vital to the future of Melbourne’s growing western suburbs, as it will deliver approximately 40 kilometres of dual track between Werribee and Southern Cross Station.
When complete the Regional Rail Link will deliver capacity for an extra 9,000 regional and suburban passengers every hour.
“Putting back a project like this by a number of years will mean that Melbourne’s West will become increasingly choked on our roads and trains,” Mr Noonan said.
Population growth in the western region of Melbourne is expected to grow by more than 150,000 people over the next 10 years, from approximately 740,000 in 2011, to a projected 910,000 in 2021.
“At a time when our population is booming in the West, we simply can’t afford to put projects like the Regional Rail Link on ice. To do that would create a whole lot of heartache,” Mr Noonan said.
