Victorian transport projects plagued by delays

Two game-changing Melbourne transport projects have still not been started, five years after they were put forward.

Two city-shaping transport initiatives recommended by the state government’s infrastructure body have not been started five years after they were put forward, with the “window of opportunity” near to closing.

Infrastructure Victoria is due to release its 2021-2051 strategy on Wednesday.

But the government has still not made progress on the Melbourne Metro 2 and City Loop reconfiguration projects proposed by the body in 2016.

Of 137 initiatives recommended five years ago, 27 have been substantially completed, 95 are in progress and 15 have not been started.

About 35 per cent were new capital projects or expansions for existing ones.

Melbourne Metro 2 – a key rail tunnel linking Newport and Clifton Hill, connecting the Mernda line through the city, Fishermen’s Bend and out to Laverton – is among those which have not been greenlit.

The other key proposal which has been ignored is the reconfiguration of the City Loop, despite Infrastructure Victoria having said construction needed to start “immediately” after the $13.7bn Metro Tunnel’s scheduled opening in 2025.

Melbourne Metro 2 concept map.

The body has called on the government to complete a business case for Melbourne Metro 2 — which was identified as having “significant” benefits — by 2025.

“Government should begin the work necessary to retain MM2 as a future ­option, refining this proposal and assessing any identified alternatives, including those that could reduce costs,” an Infrastructure Victoria report published last December reads. “Infrastructure Victoria continues to recommend the protection of land required to expand on Melbourne Metro.”

The North East Link is considered ‘substantially complete’ by Infrastructure Victoria.

The government needed to urgently start planning for the City Loop upgrade, with the train network nearing capacity, the infrastructure body added.

“The window of opportunity to deliver the project will close as demand continues to increase … The Victorian government must decide within five years whether to take advantage of this opportunity,” the report said.

Highlighting the initiatives which were under way, Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said running the “busy Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines through the Metro Tunnel will untangle the City Loop to allow us to run more trains more often across ­Melbourne”.

“We also introduced the biggest timetable change since the opening of the City Loop earlier this year, and as we finish building these vital projects we add the extra services that give passengers in Melbourne and regional Victoria more options to get them where they need to go,” Ms Allan said.

The government said it would be making changes to city loop services before the opening of the Metro Tunnel.

Infrastructure Victoria says the city’s train network is nearing capacity. Picture: AAP

The Victorian Auditor-General’s Office has found the Transport Department has failed to develop a complete plan for how trains, trams, cars and all other forms of transport should work ­together.

Opposition transport infra­structure spokesman David Davis questioned why recommendations had been “ignored” by the government.

“Instead Labor proceed chaotically with their poorly scoped, half-baked and uncoordinated plans that inevitably have massive budgets blowout which return as cost overruns to bite taxpayers,” Mr Davis said.

An Infrastructure Victoria spokeswoman said only two recommendations had not been supported by the government.