 Route of the Regional Rail Link in orange | |
| Location | Melbourne |
|---|---|
| Proposer | Government of Victoria |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Railway |
| Cost estimate | $3.65 billion |
| Start date | July 2009 |
| Completion date | June 2015 |
| Stakeholders | Government of Australia (major funding partner) Government of Victoria (minor funding partner) V/Line (operator) Metro Trains Melbourne Train travellers on Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Werribee and Sunbury lines |
| Opponents | Fair-go for Footscray Rail Residents |
Regional Rail Link (RRL) is the name of a project to build a 47.5-kilometre (29.5 mi) length of railway through the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. The name is also colloquially used to refer to the rail alignment constructed as part of the project.
The project aimed to increase rail capacity by separating regional services on the Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo corridors from suburban services on the Werribee and Sunbury lines, while also serving new housing developments in the Tarneit and Wyndham Vale areas with a rail connection to the city.
A pair of new, non-electrified tracks were constructed from Southern Cross to Sunshine along a new alignment over the Maribyrnong River; this new alignment controversially bypasses North Melbourne station.[1][2] Another new, non-electrified, double-track line was constructed from a junction site west of Deer Park to another junction site near the former Manor railway station, where it joins the Warrnambool railway line.
Stations were built at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale, while West Footscray and Sunshine were rebuilt. Two new platforms were built at Southern Cross and Footscray stations, and two level crossings near Sunshine were removed.
The project was managed by the Regional Rail Link Authority, on behalf of the Victorian Government.[3] At the time, it was the largest transport infrastructure project being undertaken in Australia.[4] Construction commenced in July 2009 and was fully completed in June 2015.
- ^ Lucas, Clay (21 December 2011). "V/Line to give North Melbourne a miss". The Age. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ "Letters to the Editor 2012 – Public Transport Users Association". Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ Peter Begg (26 April 2011). "Regional rail link to go ahead". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ Australia's largest public transport project leaps ahead Archived 20 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Premier of Victoria 21 December 2011