Train from city to Flinders University and Medical Centre in $85 million rail extension

A TRAIN from the city to Flinders University and the Flinders Medical Centre is set to become a reality, with a partly elevated extension of the Tonsley rail line and new station.

• ROLLING COVERAGE: PM campaigns in Adelaide

A TRAIN from the city to Flinders University and the Flinders Medical Centre is set to become a reality, public transport-loving Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced.

As revealed in today’s The Advertiser, the Federal Government will partner with the State Government and will pay half the costs of the $85 million project, expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Ah there we go #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/13tZCMSN6Y

— ToryShepherd (@ToryShepherd) May 13, 2016

The Tonsley rail line will be extended 650m and will be partly elevated, with a pedestrian and cycle path alongside and a new station next to the FMC. The existing Tonsley Station will be removed.

The State Government had been calling for the Federal Government to pay half the cost. It estimates the train would cut travel time by up to 18 minutes by putting commuters on the fast track instead of buses.

Construction will take place concurrently with the $620 million North-South Corridor Darlington Upgrade.

A artist’s impression of the elevated train line extension. This is looking north into the city, with Flinders Drive to the right.

Travel time could be about 22 minutes from the city to the FMC when it is completed.

The State Government has said the project will create around 75 jobs while the Federal Government said developments around the transport project could create almost 2000 jobs and drive more than $800 million in investment. The project will take up to two years to finish.

Mr Turnbull arrived in Adelaide last night, the latest of a string of Cabinet ministers to come to town.

Flinders Link concept design

He announced the funding this morning, after the train-loving pollie took a ride on an Adelaide train.

The PM said he had “a great trip” on the train and had” great discussions” with passengers on the train.

“It was a very good cross-section — it included an older couple which was coming to the medical centre. Also students and faculty of the university looking forward to better connection,” Mr Turnbull said.

He also emphasised “jobs and growth” to spring from the extension.

“If you want less of something, tax it more ... Bill Shorten clearly wants less investment,” he said.

“Everything that surrounds us here today ... is going to trigger additional investment.”

Mr Turnbull recently unveiled his Smart Cities plan, saying Australia needed to “rethink the way our cities are planned, built and managed” and talking about the need for “30-minute cities” where people did not have to make long commutes and where jobs are created closer to where people live.

At the time, a Government source highlighted tram and train lines as nationally significant projects.

Great that Fed Libs finally backing @AlboMP plan to invest in public transport in SA with $85m FlindersLink project pic.twitter.com/4muqUzhtSf

— Stephen Mullighan MP (@SMullighan) May 12, 2016

The announcement is a boon in Boothby, where Liberal candidate and former Advertiser columnist Nicolle Flint is set to take over from retiring MP Andrew Southcott. While Boothby is nominally safe with a margin of 7.2, it was once the most marginal seat in the nation and insiders fear it is at risk in the July 2 election.

An artist’s impression showing the proposed train station at Flinders Medical Centre.

Earlier this year, Mr Southcott credited Ms Flint with fighting for the project. On Thursday she said it would give residents an “excellent new public transport option”.

“It’s been great to champion a project that will benefit so many people in Boothby,” she said.

“It will enhance the connectivity between the Flinders University Tonsley campus, its Bedford Park campus and the Flinders Medical Centre and link these institutions and users with the Adelaide CBD.”

State Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mulligan has said the Government would need to reclaim some land but no homes would need to be compulsorily acquired.

Mr Mullighan said the project would go ahead no matter which party won Government in the July 2 federal election.

“This doesn’t require new funding, the money is already here and ready to be spent,” Mr Mullighan said.

“Today’s announcement should now see the project delivered in conjunction with the $620 million Darlington Upgrade, which is already underway.

“Extending the Tonsley rail line will be a huge win for southern suburbs commuters, as well as the hundreds of thousands of workers, patients, students and visitors who attend the Flinders medical precinct and the Flinders University every year.”