Future Geelong survey reveals Corio tunnel, airport train, fast rail top priorities

We’ve collected the big ideas. Now Geelong residents have revealed their priorities. SEE THE POLL RESULTS

Ben Krastins and James Hamilton from planning consultancy Ratio have raised a proposal for a 5km tunnel between Point Henry and Avalon to ease congestion and provide other economic benefits.

A tunnel under Corio Bay to significantly bust traffic congestions should be a priority, according to a new reader survey.

An Addy survey found one in four readers want the tunnel to be a priority, followed by a building a train terminal at Avalon and ensuring a fast train proposal from Geelong to Melbourne matches European standards.

The Addy asked readers and business leaders to vote for their most important priorities as part of its Future Geelong campaign.

Ratio Consultants pitched the tunnel as a way to bust congestion, move freight and divert vehicles off the Geelong Ring Road.

It’s expected travel time between Avalon and Moolap could be slashed by at least 20 minutes if the tunnel was built.

Geelong Advertiser editor Nadja Fleet and demographer Simon Kuestenmacher at Future Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on March 1. Picture: David Smith

“We’ve got to think beyond the realms of this being another Domain Tunnel going under the Yarra River, it might be something like the Channel Tunnel which connects the UK and France,” Ratio’s transport senior associate Ben Krastins said.

“(The Geelong tunnel could) be used to move freight with terminals at each end where you drop and pick up shipping containers.”

Attendants at last week’s Future Geelong event were quizzed about which revolutionary “big idea” they’d like to see transform the city.

The second most popular proposal – plans for a train station near Avalon airport – attracted 14 per cent of the overall vote.

Other popular proposals included pitches to shut select Geelong CBD streets to cars and bring a European-style fast rail to the region.

Avalon Airport chief executive Tony Brun said the company had committed to putting “skin in the game” for a train station to be built between Lara and Little River.

“Linfox Aviation has already committed that we will chip money into it,” he said.

At the Future Geelong forum, Demographics Group co-founder Simon Kuestenmacher echoed calls for a singular planning authority.

“You need to create a whole community approach so people are speaking with one voice about the future of Geelong,” he said.

“There are growth opportunities out there that benefit everyone.”

The city is expected to reach 500,000 people by 2047, according to a Committee for Geelong report.

If Geelong took in a larger portion of Melbourne’s projected growth, the Regional Australia Institute said the city could be home to 1,120,312 people by 2056.

Originally published as Future Geelong survey reveals Corio tunnel, airport train, fast rail top priorities