InterCity and AirTrain The Rail Futures blueprint for managing the transport impacts of population growth Presentation to Representatives of metropolitan Councils Moonee Valley Council Committee Room, 28 March 2017 John Hearsch and Dr Bill Russell, Rail Futures Institute
What is Rail Futures? Rail Futures Institute is an independent non- partisan group. It was formed to advocate cost-effective rail and intermodal solutions for public transport and freight problems based on sound commercial, economic and social reasoning. Rail Futures members include experienced rail professionals, urban planners, engineers and economists. 2
What is InterCity? InterCity is Rail Futures’ proposal for developing a comprehensive faster state-wide rail network aimed at - • more balanced population growth, • better connectivity and reduced journey times across the state, and • meeting widespread demands for improved rail services throughout regional Victoria InterCity and AirTrain taken together provide a blueprint for a connected state-wide rail transport network providing speedy travel between Melbourne and the regions There is no other developed proposal that addresses the transport needs of our expected 2050 population. 3
Why InterCity? • To lead and support regional growth and development • To significantly improve connectedness, support new economic activity and provide regional Victoria with good access to jobs, education, health and other services • To significantly improve commuting journeys to Melbourne and, most importantly, journeys into regional centres • To create a European-style rail network with greater service intensity and integration between transport modes • To have rail travel competitive with travel times by car • To ensure rail journeys are frequent, reliable and comfortable and allow travel time to be used productively
InterCity – main service objectives • Faster rail services linking Southern Cross and major regional centres, with more 160 km/h and some 200 km/h operation • More frequent trains Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour and Traralgon routes (4-6 trains per hour weekdays) • Much improved service reliability by segregation of all regional trains from suburban trains • A 15 minute CBD to Airport AirTrain every 10 minutes • Easy to navigate Melbourne Airport hub served by regional rail and designed for future High Speed Rail • Interconnected network, air-rail, and AirTrain – Metro- InterCity • Acceleration of long distance trains (Warrnambool, Swan Hill, Albury, Bairnsdale) to reduce journey times • Reinstatement of Horsham and Hamilton train services, Cross-Country rail routes (Geelong-Ballarat-Bendigo) and better coach services linking regional towns and cities 5
InterCity – main infrastructure elements • Within Regional Fast Rail zone (bounded by Wendouree, Waurn Ponds, Eaglehawk, Shepparton, Traralgon), complete track upgrade for general 160 km/h operation with 200 km/h at some locations and 100% active level crossing protection • In long distance zone (beyond RFR – Warrnambool, Hamilton, Horsham, Swan Hill, Albury, Bairnsdale) upgrade single track with long passing lanes, 130 km/h operation, and 100% active level crossing protection • Progressive segregation of all regional trains from suburban trains • Bendigo, Seymour, Shepparton, Albury trains diverted via Airport • New capacity for Geelong trains (3 rd & 4 th track on Regional Rail Link) • New tunnel SX to West Footscray • New route for Gippsland trains between Caulfield & Dandenong • New connection to Melbourne Airport hub served by regional rail and designed for future High Speed Rail 6
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Rail Futures AirTrain proposal – an integral part of InterCity • A new line from Southern Cross to a major new Melbourne Airport hub served by regional rail and designed for future High Speed Rail • Melbourne Airport to become a key multi-modal transport hub as well as an air transport hub • A CBD to Airport AirTrain every 10 minutes • Connections at Sunshine with Melbourne Metro lines Sunbury to Dandenong via Footscray, Parkville, new CBD stations and Domain, and regional lines to Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat and Horsham • Direct regional rail services at the Airport to Castlemaine, Bendigo, Seymour, Shepparton, Benalla, Wangaratta and Albury • Connections at Southern Cross to all other suburban lines and to Warragul, Traralgon, Sale and Bairnsdale 8
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AirTrain – main service objectives • Dedicated airport train SX to MEL every 10 minutes, in trains designed to carry air travellers and luggage (15-min. journey) • High Capacity to deal with expected growth of travellers at the Airport to 60 million by 2050 - (Freeway, bus, light rail don’t have this capacity) • Maximise network connectivity to get people quickly not just to SX and CBD but also- • All Melb Metro destinations, with a maximum of one change • Directly to all Castlemaine, Bendigo, Swan Hill line cities and northeast cities including Shepparton, Seymour and Albury • Geelong, Warrnambool, Ballarat and Horsham via one easy change at Sunshine and to Gippsland via Southern Cross Unlike all previous proposals, this provides comprehensive • statewide network connectivity to Melbourne Airport 10
AirTrain – main infrastructure components • New airport platforms at Southern Cross (feasibility established) • Tunnelled exit from SX to West Footscray (no surface capacity left – and ensures reliable and fast journey) • Uses existing rail corridor West Footscray to Sunshine • Train stabling and maintenance facilities at Tottenham • Sub-surface station at Sunshine for transfer to suburban and Geelong/Ballarat trains and tunnelled route to North Sunshine • Uses protected rail reservation from North Sunshine to Airport • Tunnelled approach to main terminal and underground station • Later north-west connection to Bendigo line and north-east connection for Shepparton, Seymour and Albury lines 11
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Why heavy rail for AirTrain ? • Provides a quick, comfortable trip in dedicated rolling stock • AirTrain from Southern Cross to the Airport in 15 minutes with only a Sunshine stop – easy at average speed 106 km/h • Uses well proven, low risk, off-the-shelf technology • Much more than simply an Airport railway – a multi-function corridor for reconfiguring the regional network with full segregation from the metropolitan rail network • Construction staged to extend beyond Melbourne Airport to link with the Bendigo line at Clarkefield and the OMR reserved corridor to join the Seymour line at Wallan • Only a modern heavy rail corridor has the capacity and speed needed for this application.
Why a Sunshine route for AirTrain ? • It’s all about network connectivity! But also: • Combined tunnelled and surface route requires minimal property acquisition • Uses existing rail corridor from West Footscray to Sunshine • Provides train maintenance and stabling facilities on existing rail land at Tottenham • Sunshine station can accommodate sub-surface platforms for the Airport and regional lines on existing railway land • Railway land at Sunshine provides major development and value capture opportunities • Uses existing rail corridor via parts of North Sunshine, East Keilor and Airport West 14
Why is AirTrain the best solution ? Alternative proposals do not have the capacity, engineering or operational solutions to provide service quality that Air Train provides Previous Government/PTV Proposal Driverless Light Rail Direct to the Airport Has around half the capacity • Tries to cram airport passengers into • people/hour of heavy rail already crowded suburban trains Doesn’t provide a network • Consumes critical capacity on metro • solution lines needed for burgeoning demand in growth suburbs Doesn’t connect airport to • Sunshine, western suburbs, Too slow – stops at all stations • Melbourne Metro lines or Less reliable than a dedicated line • regional cities segregated from the metro network Elevated structure above • Cannot move people in the numbers • Tullamarine Freeway likely to required reduce freeway capacity Has been quietly dropped in latest • Unproven route into city • MM background papers Unproven performance • 15
InterCity – the way ahead for Victoria • AirTrain from the CBD to Melbourne Airport - the next major rail project after Melbourne Metro – 8 to 10 year lead time requires a commitment now and planning underway Bendigo line and Seymour/Shepparton/Albury lines to be • diverted via Melbourne Airport Metropolitan and other regional lines to be fully segregated • Regional rail upgrading a priority driver to incentivise • opportunities for regional living, access to jobs and much improved housing affordability. Regional lines to be progressively converted to standard gauge • Dandenong rail line to become a four track corridor • Metropolitan line extensions (Werribee-Wyndham Vale and • Cranbourne-Clyde) to be prioritised
InterCity - an express track to Victoria’s future AirTrain - fast airport connections statewide Questions and Discussion Read the full InterCity report www.railfutures.org.au 17
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