Call for 15 minutes’ travel to city via Melbourne Airport rail link

MELBOURNE’S proposed airport rail link should have a travel time from the city to the airport as low as 15 minutes, according to a rail lobby group.

A rail link from Melbourne Airport should have a travel time of just 15 minutes, a lobby group says. Picture Jay Town.

MELBOURNE’S proposed airport rail link should have a travel time from the city to the airport as low as 15 minutes, according to a rail lobby group.

The state and federal governments have each pledged $5 billion for the project via Sunshine, with construction to start by 2022.

Rail Futures Institute secretary Bill Russell said operational reliability at much high­er levels than previously seen in Australia was achievable with technology used in Asian and European cities.

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SkyBus has promised new services for travellers. Picture: Tony Gough

“It must be faster than any private car, taxi or bus alternative,” he said.

“Rail Futures is confident that a suitably designed and operated rail corridor can readily achieve travel times in the range of 15 to 20 minutes, inclusive of the Sunshine stop.

Mr Russell said the airport link must be totally independent of existing suburban lines and have its own specially designed trains to meet the needs of airline travellers.

Meanwhile, airport bus ope­rator SkyBus has promised new services ahead of the ­introduction of the rail link.

SkyBus spokesman Adam Begg said Victoria needed more than just the rail link to deal with growth challenges.

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