PTV Network Development Plan
The Network Development Plan is a long-term development plan for the public transport network of Melbourne, Australia. It was carried out by Public Transport Victoria (PTV) and released to the public on 27 March 2013.[1]
The plan will eventually affect metropolitan and regional rail, trams and buses. However, only the metropolitan rail aspect of the plan has been finalised and released to the public. The primary aim of the rail plan is to improve the efficiency, reliability and patronage of Melbourne's train network. It sets out a number of concrete goals over four stages, to be carried out over 20 years. Public Transport Victoria CEO Ian Dobbs estimated the whole plan would cost about $30 billion.[2]
Contents
Plan
Stage 1
This stage outlines the immediate high priority goals to overcome current constraints, most of which are already under construction or have allocated funding. They are to be completed during or before 2016.
- Regional Rail Link – includes the construction of Tarneit and Wyndham Vale railway stations (completed June 2015)
- Extension of the rail network to South Morang (completed April 2012)
- 7 new X'Trapolis 100 trains (order placed March 2015)
- 40 new V'Locity carriages
- Order of 33 new high-capacity trains
- Upgrade signalling between Greensborough and Hurstbridge railway stations, with a new stabling facility at Eltham
- Electrification to Sunbury railway station (completed November 2012)
- Grovedale railway station in Grovedale, Victoria near Geelong
- Williams Landing railway station in Point Cook, Victoria (completed April 2013)
- Southland railway station at Westfield Southland shopping centre
Stage 2
This stage is about the introduction of a metro-style system in Melbourne with segregated, independently operating lines. The projects are set to be complete within 10 years, before 2022.
- Construction of the Melbourne Metro Rail Project
- Duplication of the Melton railway line
- Upgrades to the Dandenong rail corridor, including grade separations and signalling works
- Delivery of initial order of 33 high-capacity trains, and the further order and delivery of 70 trains
- A new railway station in the new suburb of Toolern, near Melton
- A new railway station on Black Forest Road in Wyndham Vale
- Major timetabling and operational changes to lines
- Installation of high-capacity signalling on the Sandringham, South Morang, Hurstbridge railway lines and between Sunbury and South Yarra railway stations
Stage 3
This stage focuses on extending the network to growth areas and suburbs without railway access, and utilising the preceding growth in capacity. It is to be completed within 15 years, before 2027.
- A new railway link to Melbourne Airport
- Construction of the Doncaster railway line
- Construction of the Rowville railway line
- A new tunnel between Clifton Hill and Southern Cross railway stations via Parkville railway station to increase capacity on the South Morang railway line
- Electrification of the Melton railway line
- Electrification to Baxter railway station
- Duplication of the Cranbourne railway line
- Duplication from Greensborough to Eltham on the Hurstbridge railway line
- A new railway station on Sayers Road in Tarneit
- A new railway station in Truganina
Stage 4
The final stage involves further utilisation of extra capacity and preparing for future growth in Melbourne. The stage is to be carried out within 20 years, before 2032.
- Reconfiguration of the metropolitan rail network to create seven, independently operated lines similar to other rapid transit systems
- Quadruplication of the railway between Burnley and Camberwell railway stations
- Duplication between the Altona Loop/Werribee railway line junction and Seaholme railway station
- Duplication from Mooroolbark to Lilydale railway station
- Electrification of the Geelong railway line
- Electrification to Wallan railway station
- Extension of the South Morang railway line to Mernda
- Extension from Werribee to Wyndham Vale railway station
- Extension of the South Morang railway line to Fishermans Bend, with the future potential to extend the railway in a tunnel under the Yarra River to Newport railway station
