Dear LG Focus,
The development of high speed rail services into Gippsland has significant potential for regional development, tourism growth and to ease traffic congestion currently putting pressure on Melbourne.
Stations at Dandenong, Pakenham, Warragul, Traralgon, Bairnsdale and Cann River would place these cities within commuting distance of Melbourne and Canberra, providing a source of lower cost housing and enhancing the economies of these cities and Gippsland in general.
High speed rail into Gippsland would also improve access to the Gippsland Lakes, Snowfields and South-East Australian coast and be a significant impetus to increased tourism in the area. In addition, it would ease traffic congestion on the existing Melbourne east-west transport corridor and also make it possible to retire V/line services to Gippsland, utilising freed up track capacity for freight services.
After previously making a submission on the Metropolitan Planning Strategy, the Gippsland Local Government Network (GLGN) has now made its case to the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport’s High Speed Rail Study Phase 2 report. Since the Phase 1 Study, the Phase 2 Study has adopted a deviation through Shepparton (Hume region) and a spur line to connect Canberra. These extend the track length for Melbourne to Sydney from 823km to 877km and increase the cost from $37.5 billion to $49.9 billion.
This outcome casts serious doubt over the Phase 1 decision to drop the Gippsland route from further consideration due to cost alone. The estimated track length from Melbourne to Sydney via the Gippsland alignment is 950km with an estimated cost of $53.2 billion, only 6.6 per cent more than the currently preferred Hume region route. The Gippsland corridor was eliminated prematurely: while costs are higher than the preferred Hume option, the benefits are also higher.
It should also be noted that all services would travel through Canberra via the Gippsland corridor as opposed to only dedicated services on the Hume corridor via a spur line, easing airport congestion in Melbourne and Sydney. By contrast, all Melbourne – Sydney services would bypass Canberra on the currently preferred Hume corridor.
GLGN is making the reasonable request that the Victorian and Federal governments re-assess the Gippsland corridor before deciding on the preferred route for high speed rail.
So, on behalf of the GLGN, I call on the Victorian and Federal governments to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of a high speed rail route through Gippsland as well as currently preferred Hume region.
Yours sincerely,
Cr Richard Ellis, Chair GLGN
Mayor, East Gippsland Shire
GLGN is an alliance of six Gippsland councils who work collaboratively on issues and projects of mutual interest and advocate to government on behalf of the region. The councils consist of: Bass Coast Shire, Baw Baw Shire, East Gippsland Shire, Latrobe City, South Gippsland Shire and Wellington Shire
