Scott Morrison, Daniel Andrews give Melbourne airport rail link green light

Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews will today green-light Melbourne’s long-awaited airport rail link, with the agreement moving the project towards construction. Here’s when you can expect to catch a train to a plane.

Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews will today green-light Melbourne’s long-awaited airport rail link. But trains won’t run on it until as far off as 2031.

The Prime Minister and the Premier will sign a heads of agreement in Melbourne, locking in the rail route via a new super-station at Sunshine.

The agreement moves the project towards construction, which will begin in 2022 and take up to nine years to finish.

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The business case will examine connecting the line to the state government’s ambitious 90km suburban subway rail loop linking booming suburbs, as well as opportunities to connect with a “Western Rail Plan” to enhance train services to Geelong and Ballarat.

The PM said Melbourne and Victoria had been waiting far too long for the rail link.

“For decades Victorians have talked about a train line to the airport. We are delivering it,” Mr Morrison said.

“Melbourne is truly a global city that deserves world-class infrastructure. The rail link is part of our plan to bust congestion across the city, and get people home faster and safer.”

Government is going to commit to a date that the Airport Rail will get started. Passenger arriving and leaving Melbourne Airport. Picture: Tony Gough

AIRPORT RAIL LINK CONSTRUCTION DRAWS GLOBAL INTEREST

MELBOURNE’S LONG-AWAITED AIRPORT RAIL ROUTE LOCKED IN

The Herald Sun revealed late last year that Mr Morrison had backed Victoria’s preferred Sunshine route over three other options.

A private consortium — including Melbourne Airport, Southern Cross station and Metro Trains — has put $5 billion on the table for the link. Its plan includes a new tunnel from the CBD to Sunshine.

Federal and state governments have each committed $5 billion for the link, expected to cost up to $13 billion.

A project team will now be set up to develop a business case for the project, which will link to the new Metro Tunnel.

Mr Andrews said the Victorian Government was not wasting a minute in beginning the planning of the rail line.

He said: “The Melbourne Airport rail link has been talked about for far too long.

“We’re doing the detailed planning and development work to make it a reality. By choosing the Sunshine route, we are ensuring all Victorians can benefit from the rail link, including people living in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.”