Opposition promises to revive rail project

Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au

THE federal opposition has promised to spend $900 million on the extension of the Frankston rail line towards Baxter if it wins government.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton visited Frankston on Friday to make the announcement. The commitment is part of the Liberal Party’s campaign to take the seat of Dunkley off Labor at next month’s by-election.

The planned electrification and duplication of the Stony Point line from Frankston to Baxter was abandoned by the federal government after an infrastructure review last year. $225 million committed towards the project by the previous Coalition federal government was withdrawn.

A business case completed before the COVID-19 estimated it would cost $1.5 billion to electrify and duplicate the train line to Baxter. That figure, released in November 2020, will almost certainly increase significantly if a new business case is completed. The project remains in limbo as the promised $900 million will not be enough to complete it, and the Labor state government has long been disinterested in contributing funding of its own (“Baxter rail extension could wipe out homes, historic sites” The Times 19/10/22).

Last week Dutton told reporters in Frankston “the local residents here need an upgrade. Having old diesel trains running on a single line in this day and age is just not right.”

“When we give a commitment we deliver on it. We made a promise to fund this project, we are going to fund it, and we are relying on a state government that will see this area as a priority.”

Later that day, The Age reported that the state government had shot down the prospect of funding the project. Victorian public transport minister Gabrielle Williams was contacted for comment.

The Committee for Frankston and Mornington Peninsula has long advocated for the project to be built. Its CEO Josh Sinclair said “the commitment of up to $900 million by the federal opposition is exactly the level of public transport investment our community is calling for. The community wants both levels of government and both sides of politics to get on with better connecting Langwarrin and Frankston’s health and education precinct with the CBD.”

The Frankston line extension proposal includes the construction of new stations at Frankston East, Langwarrin, and Baxter.

A list of alternative projects which could be funded using the $225 million cut from the abandoned rail extension has been drafted by Frankston Council.

Council has been advocating for the money to stay in the electorate for use on other projects if the rail project doesn’t proceed. Last week, councillors approved a list of projects which could benefit from the funding instead.

Major commitments sought included $60 million for Nepean Boulevard “revitalisation”, $16 million for Kananook Promenade, $14 million for Playne Street reconfiguration, $15 million for Kananook Station accessibility improvements, and $80 million for the construction of all 67 unsealed roads in the Frankston municipality.

Frankston councillor Claire Harvey said there are a “long list of projects that are waiting for funding that we can’t fund from our rate revenue as a local council. We will need support from other tiers of government.”

The Dunkley by-election takes place on 2 March. The next federal election is expected to take place in 2025.