Federal Labor promising to make AdeLINK tram network a reality, if elected

LABOR has declared it will co-fund the multi-billion dollar AdeLINK tram network if it wins government.

Public transport - tag up. Tram at intersection and bus at bus stop alongside the GPO in King William Street, Adelaide.

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LABOR has declared it will co-fund the multi-billion dollar AdeLINK tram network if it wins government.

Infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese told The Advertiser the huge public transport upgrade would “become a reality” if his party was elected.

He also recommitted Labor to funding electrification of the Gawler train line.

“An elected Federal Labor Government will work with the South Australian Labor Government to ensure key public transport projects including the Gawler line elec-trification and the AdeLINK tram network become a reality,” he said.

The State Government is preparing a detailed business case into the tram network at a cost of $4 million and could not yet provide an accurate estimate of its costs.

State Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan on Thursday could not say when the detailed costings would be ready to present to federal Labor and the Coalition.

“While we can give broad estimates, trying to get some of that fine detail around these projects ... that will take some time,” Mr Mullighan said.

“The Premier has already requested of the Federal Government some priority projects for South Australia ... the tram network is part of that mix.”

Adelaide Lord Mayor Martin Haese will host a Light Rail Summit, involving all levels of government, at the Town Hall on April 21.

The current plan for a staged rollout of the tram network includes:

EastLINK: Extending east through Kent Town to The Parade;

WestLINK: Following Henley Beach Rd to Henley Square, with a branch line to Adelaide Airport;

ProspectLINK: Following O’Connell St to Prospect Rd;

UnleyLINK: following Unley Rd and Belair Rd to Mitcham;

CityLINK: Following a continuous loop around the city with transfers at other tram lines and the Adelaide Railway Station, and

PortLINK: Using the ex-isting Outer Harbor line with additional services to Port Adelaide, West Lakes and Semaphore.

Tram projects in other states are estimated to cost around $1 billion for every 10km.

In February, Infrastructure Australia released its 15-year plan which identified the Gawler line upgrade as the state’s highest priority project.

The report said the work would need to be tackled within five years to prevent “material impact” on productivity.

The State Government hopes to start work on the project in 2017-18 but is seeking federal co-funding.

The AdeLINK tram network was named as a “priority” project, which needed addressing within a decade.

Federal Major Projects Minister Paul Fletcher said his Government would use “a more consistent evaluation of wider economic benefits and a more rigorous and detailed assessment framework” to determine which projects it funds.

But Mr Albanese said yesterday “only a federal Labor Government will invest in the job-creating, productivity boosting infrastructure, including public transport, which South Australia needs”.

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