MEETING OUR TRANSPORT CHALLENGES CONNECTING VICTORIAN COMMUNITIES THE PLAN © State of Victoria May 2006 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Inquiries should be addressed to: Inquiries should be addressed to: Department of Premier and Cabinet Department of Infrastructure 1 Treasury Place Level 14, 80 Collins Street Melbourne East Victoria 3002 Melbourne Victoria 3000 Phone: (+61 3) 9651 5111 Phone: (+61 3) 9655 6666 www.dpc.vic.gov.au www.doi.vic.gov.au ISBN: 1 920921 76 1 Full copies of Meeting Our Transport Challenges can be viewed and downloaded at either the Department of Premier and Cabinet website: www.dpc.com.au or the Department of Infrastructure website: www.doi.vic.gov.au The key to liveability is managing land use and transport networks to maintain the highest level of access to community, services and employment opportunities. Message from the Premier Victoria is one of the most liveable places in the world – Right across Victoria, a wave of new projects will build and more and more people want to live, work and raise better transport connections, deliver major improvements their families here. to public transport, and create communities and neighbourhoods that are attractive and healthy places As Victoria’s population grows, we have to take steps to to live and work. maintain our quality of life – and one of the most important things we must do is make sure that all Victorians have I encourage you to read Meeting Our Transport Challenges access to a high quality transport system, wherever we and share in our vision of a world class transport network live and whatever means of travel we use. that will make a real difference in our daily lives and help to ensure that Victoria maintains its reputation as the most For the past 6 years, the Victorian Government has taken liveable place in Australia. strong action and made major new investments to build a modern, safe and reliable transport network across Victoria – from the inner city to the smallest country town; from Melbourne’s outer suburbs to our growing regional centres. Despite growing pressures, Victoria’s transport system is in good shape. But as our population grows and our lifestyles and work patterns change, we must make sure that our transport system keeps up with our travel needs. Steve Bracks Meeting Our Transport Challenges sets out an action Premier of Victoria blueprint for shaping Victoria’s transport system into the future. Under this blueprint, the Victorian Government will inject more than $10.5 billion over 10 years into our transport system, while also planning for an ongoing program of transport projects over the next 25 years. ii Section One Where we are and where we need to be Message from the Minister for Transport As Melbourne’s and Victoria’s population grows and Meeting Our Transport Challenges is a long-term plan changes, we have to plan carefully for Victoria’s future designed to address these issues and meet today’s needs transport needs. Across the State, many changes are and tomorrow’s challenges. occurring that will have a major impact on our transport Through major investment and new projects over the system in the years ahead. next 10 years, we aim to build a transport system that Strong economic growth across Victoria means that maintains Victoria’s high standard of liveability and helps people are making more trips and seeking greater mobility us to manage our growth in a responsible, sustainable for personal, work and business reasons. Provincial way – creating better travel choices for all Victorians and Victoria is growing strongly, generating new demands ensuring the proper planning and delivery of transport for transport services within and between regions. infrastructure for the benefit of future generations. Melbourne’s outer suburbs are also growing rapidly, with more people needing to make trips across the metropolitan area, instead of into the CBD. Our ageing population means that more people will rely upon public transport to move around. The growing number of cars on our roads is leading to greater traffic congestion and is starting to affect the liveability of some local communities. We need to plan ahead to tackle these issues – and we need to link long-term planning for Victoria’s transport system with planning for our cities, suburbs and Peter Batchelor communities that encourages travel options that are Minister for Transport smarter, cleaner and healthier. MEETING OUR TRANSPORT CHALLENGES Connecting Victorian Communities iii Highlights Meeting Our Transport Challenges will inject an An additional $510 million will help to deliver first class unprecedented $10.5 billion over 10 years into public transport for provincial Victoria, including better improving transport infrastructure and services to ensure regional bus and taxi services, and more night and that Victoria remains one of the most liveable places in weekend services in major regional centres. the world – in addition to $1.6 billion in capital An additional $2 billion will be provided to upgrade expenditure already committed over the next 4 years. Victoria’s arterial road network, including construction of The Government is also planning for a further program the Western Highway–Deer Park Bypass, upgrading of transport projects to be implemented over the next regional arterial roads, and a new program of road 25 years, the final budgets and timings of which will be projects across Melbourne’s growing outer suburbs. released progressively. A $740 million package of improvements will boost The Government will invest $1.4 billion to create a cross- capacity and reduce congestion on the Monash-West town transport network for Melbourne. Major new Gate corridor, making east-west travel across the city SmartBus routes, supported by improved local bus faster and more reliable. services, will connect with the rail network to create a New investment of $1.1 billion in transport safety will grid of radial, arterial and orbital routes within and make our rail services safer and more secure, and between suburbs and across the city. For the first time, continue to reduce the road toll. people living in Melbourne’s middle and outer suburbs Public transport will be more accessible for people with will be able to travel across town by public transport restricted mobility, with a new program to improve without going through the CBD. access on metropolitan trains, trams, buses and V/Line The Government will provide $2 billion – the biggest passenger services. investment in the rail network since the construction of A new $5.9 billion Meeting Our Transport Challenges the City Loop – to deliver a substantial boost in the Reserve will ensure that future governments can capacity of Melbourne’s rail network. This investment will continue to finance major transport infrastructure improve peak period services, reduce rail congestion projects over the coming decades. and overcrowding, and construct additional tracks along sections of the Dandenong and Sydenham rail lines. Investment of $1.8 billion will deliver major improvements to Melbourne’s train and tram services, including new trains and trams, additional late night services and a new high-tech train control centre. iv Section One Where we are and where we need to be Summary In the past 4 years, Melbourne has rated as one of the Solutions to these problems must consider long-term most liveable cities in the world. issues and impacts as well as dealing with current Victoria continues to perform ahead of the national challenges and must ensure that Victoria gets maximum average on most economic indicators. value from existing infrastructure, while planning for the future. To ensure Victoria maintains this enviable position, attention must be paid to the transport network upon 10 areas for action have been identified, covering which the State is built. 32 separate programs designed to improve transport infrastructure and services across Victoria. While our transport system is rated highly compared to similar systems across the world, there is more to do. Meeting Our Transport Challenges is a strong foundation for the future – it is by no means an exhaustive list of For provincial Victoria, this means maintaining and projects, but provides a comprehensive, farsighted and expanding connectivity within and between regions, and far-reaching basis on which this and future governments providing access to affordable and appropriate can build. transport modes. For inner and outer metropolitan Melbourne, this means improving cross-town connections and addressing, as a matter of urgency, the increasing problem of congestion. Congestion impacts on both liveability and the economy with the potential to affect all Victorians socially and economically. MEETING OUR TRANSPORT CHALLENGES Connecting Victorian Communities v Contents Message from the Premier ii Message from the Minister for Transport iii Highlights iv Summary v CONTEXT Maintaining Victoria as ‘The Place to Be’ 3 Victoria’s high quality transport system 4 Sustaining a high quality transport system presents challenges 6 FUTURE NEEDS Our growing and changing transport needs 11 Provincial Victoria 11 Metropolitan Melbourne 12 PRIORITIES Meeting future demands and challenges 23 A world class lifestyle 23 Accessible, connected communities 24 A safer and more secure system 25 Cutting congestion 26 Growing the whole State 28 Planning for the future 29 ACTIONS Areas for action 32