Eastern Metropolitan MP and leader of the Transport Matters Party Rod Barton has thrown his support behind the duplication of the Lilydale train line.
This comes after Evelyn Liberal MP Bridget Vallence made an announcement on Monday 7 November that an elected Liberal government would fund a $5 million feasibility study into the line duplication.
Mr Barton said he believes with the growth of the Lilydale and Mooroolbark area, particularly with the Kinley Estate build, this project is “urgently required”.
“The Mooroolbark and Lilydale train is already at capacity during peak periods. With the population expected to rise significantly, it makes sense to remove this bottleneck now,” he said.
Proposing the line be duplicated and a new station be built at Kinley, Mr Barton said a Parliamentary Budget Office estimated the total project costs to amount to $211 million from the commencement of works in 2023-24 to completion in 2028-29.
After a question raised by Ms Vallence in March 2021, Public Transport and Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Caroll acknowledged the future growth of the area.
“Both the Government and the developer of the Kinley Estate acknowledge that the proposed redevelopment of the Lilydale Quarry will add pressure to the transport system and the road network in particular,” he said in a written response in April 2021.
“Both acknowledge that it is the developer’s responsibility to ensure that the transport system is improved to safely accommodate the additional demands placed on it by the redevelopment.”
This being the case, Mr Barton has urged the government “to be proactive and plan for the future”.
“Duplicating the track will improve connectivity and accessibility throughout the Lilydale and the Yarra Ranges. Those living in Melbourne’s outer suburbs deserve to be better connected,” he said.
Evelyn Labor candidate Lorna Dent said after the Liberal Party’s announcement that many of the people she has heard from throughout her campaign have been impressed and pleased with the upgraded stations at Lilydale and Mooroolbark.
Animal Justice Party candidate Jan Heald said she and her party would support a move that would help improve public transport connectivity and encourage “environmentally-friendly modes” if the appropriate consultation was conducted.
