The business cases for the Melbourne Metro and Murray Basin Rail upgrade have received Infrastructure Australia's tick of approval. 

“The Australian Infrastructure Plan is very clear on the need for investment in high-capacity, high-frequency public transport services to support projected population growth in our major cities,” Infrastructure Australia Chief Executive Philip Davies says. 

“With the populations of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth projected to grow by more than 30% in the next 15 years, we need world class mass transit systems integrated into existing transport systems in our major cities to enable people to efficiently travel for work and leisure.

“Rail services into and around central Melbourne are already reaching capacity in peak periods, and in some cases passengers are unable to board trains.

“The number of people travelling by rail into the Melbourne CBD during the morning peak is forecast to grow by 65% between 2015 and 2031, with patronage on lines servicing growth corridors in the city's north, west and south-east growing most quickly.

“The proposed Melbourne Metro would address network capacity constraints by enabling 20,000 more passengers to use Melbourne's rail network during each peak hour, and improving the reliability and efficiency of train lines serving growth areas in the city's north, west and south-east. The project has now been added to the Infrastructure Priority List as a High Priority Project.

“Melbourne Metro will be vital in improving accessibility to jobs located in central Melbourne—an area which accounts for around 6% of Australia's GDP." 

Infrastructure Australia also assessed the business case for the ongoing upgrade of the Murray Basin rail network. The project has now been added to the Infrastructure Priority List as a Priority Project.

“The Murray Basin region is a major producer of agricultural and mining goods, but access to large domestic and international markets is constrained by the poor condition of the regional rail network due to a historic underspend on maintenance," Mr Davies says. 

“Capacity on the Murray Basin rail network is constrained by the mixture of broad and standard gauge lines and a 19 tonne axle load limit, which means trains cannot operate at full capacity.

“The Murray Basin Rail Project has been identified as a Priority Project as it addresses the fragmentation of the regional rail network and will alleviate current capacity constraints. This will ultimately reduce rail freight costs to business and improve the competitiveness of Murray Basin exports.

The Infrastructure Priority List identifies nationally significant projects and initiatives in every state and territory, and is regularly updated as the Infrastructure Australia Board receives and assesses new business cases from project proponents.

The business case evaluation summaries for the Melbourne Metro and Murray Basin Rail, and the updated Infrastructure Priority List are now available at www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au.