Unpopular Opinion, but I think Melbourne should of extended the Cragieburn Line to Wallan, and electrified out to Melton and Wyndham Vale as well as also build the Airport Rail Link before even considering the suburban rail loop. And even then, the SRL should have been something like Brisbane Metro BRT, not a rapid transit line. It doesn’t even go into the city which is where majority of people using the trains actually work. So therefore the only few people using it will be schoolkids, and a few crackheads. Meanwhile the Western and Northern parts of Melbourne are growing and are dying for better transport. SRL East only benefits those in the wealthier eastern suburbs.
I think SRL is an intelligent, educated and smart longterm infrastructure project
4 Likes
But they should have done Western Rail Plan, the Electrification to Wallan, Airport Rail, extension of the Cranbourne Line to Clyde and the city loop realignment before even considering SRL. Also SRL is chewing up federal funds that could go towards public transit projects in other states like giving Adelaide an Underground Railway or even more funding for Queensland ahead of the 2032 Games (which no one asked for). Also we need more funding for North Queensland, not everything is about the South East!.
But on the topic of SRL, it doesn’t stack up. Even the business case backs up this statement.
1 Like