No airport rail line for Melbourne

[red750]

Plans for a rail line to Melbourne Airport have been deferred again because population growth along the proposed corridor has overrun the ability to schedule adequate trains.

 

 

[crashley]

Don't know why anyone would want to live in Melbourne anyway

 

one day people will realise that in regional vic they can buy a near new house for under $500k and travel 15 km to work in 15 minutes and then park all day for nothing

 

ps also only takes 10 minutes to get to the local airfield

 

 

[Jonny_J]

Yep, rapidly growing population, that's when you want to start scaling back on public transport

 

But hey, why spend money on a new rail line when you've just put a tax on taxi rides ;)

 

 

[Yenn]

I don't know how long London Heathrow has had an Underground connection, but i do know that it was without one for many years. I can remember as a boy travelling on the underground to Hounslow West, which wa the end of the line and it was all open country to where Heathrow is.

 

No doubt Melbourne planners are similar to London so it is a case of too little and far too late.

 

 

[Jonny_J]

I don't know how long London Heathrow has had an Underground connection, but i do know that it was without one for many years. I can remember as a boy travelling on the underground to Hounslow West, which wa the end of the line and it was all open country to where Heathrow is.No doubt Melbourne planners are similar to London so it is a case of too little and far too late.

I believe it is 1977 for Heathrow Picadilly line extension (checking Wikipedia), but yeah I remember the high speed train link wasn't until the late 90's. We lived in south London at the time and I remember just because up until then it was always so much easier getting the train to Gatwick than having to get the kill-yourself long tube to heathrow lol.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Sorry guys, what's this thread about, I only just got back from Chengdu 50 kms away on the train, 20 mins at 200 kmh ....

 

 

[red750]

Smart a...! A train to Tullamarine? Not in my lifetime. Part of the reason Koo Wee Rup is not such a silly idea.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Smart a...!

 

 

[SDQDI]

Sorry guys, what's this thread about, I only just got back from Chengdu 50 kms away on the train, 20 mins at 200 kmh ....

I don't have OCD but could you change that to 15 minutes? It would be more impressive:blush:

 

 

[bexrbetter]

I don't have OCD but could you change that to 15 minutes? It would be more impressive:blush:

Add in accelerating and slow down/pull into station times.

 

The Chengdu to Chongqing one is great, around 1 hour 40 mins for 300 kms.

 

 

[facthunter]

A few more people in China to help pay for that stuff and a government that can just say "do it" and no one will ever know if it's economic or not. Having nothing until it PAYS for itself is not the final solution, either. Most investors want a return in a short time. Melbourne is by far the fastest growing place in Australia. All those of you who profess to hate it tell everyone how bad it is so we can carry on normally and grow slowly at a rate we can cope with. It's terrible down here. No one in their right mind would want to live here. Stay away and we can have our delusions privately. Nev

 

 

[bexrbetter]

A few more people in China to help pay for that stuff

Australia is a very wealthy place and can afford it.

 

But there are so many barriers that make it difficult, from Unions, Conservationists, Farmers, Work, Health and Safety, Political Parties that aren't in long enough, it just gets "too hard".

 

 

[coljones]

Australia is a very wealthy place and can afford it.But there are so many barriers that make it difficult, from Unions, Conservationists, Farmers, Work, Health and Safety, Political Parties that aren't in long enough, it just gets "too hard".

You forgot the owners of the freeways and their political bagmen

 

 

[red750]

There's only one true 'freeway' in Melbourne, the Eastern Freeway. No tolls. The rest are tollways. The only way infrastructure gets built these days. Some corporation builds them and turns them into a cash cow.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Some corporation builds them and turns them into a cash cow.

.. which I have no issue with, business is business, but the E'fin Government pays for the construction with our money!

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Hang on - are you telling me the south-eastern freeway (or Monash Freeway or whatever) is now a toll road? Blimey!

 

And what about the Wells Rd freeway (the one that runs from Springvale-ish to Frankston) - is that also a toll road?

 

Planning a trip to Aus - Usually land in Tulla and stay for 1/2 day at the Hilton to refresh, then pick up a pre-booked hire car (web is giving some amazing deals) for the drive to Canterbury where my bruv lives. Last time I took a taxi to his house, which at the time was about 3ks off the Toorak Rd exit near Tooronga, it was, from memory, about $70 - so shudder to think of what it costs now.So taxi and car rental companies probably lobby a bit, too..

 

Not having a decent rail link is a pain - but also, I think it hampers growth a bit; Business people (especially employees rather than those who have to pay for it) don't care too much, but tourists do and when planning where they go do take into account the convenience and cost of a place - Australia is not the only country that has unique tourist attractions. So since Aus is, from a US/European perspective, already at a disadvantage in terms of distance, attracting those that want to go somewhere different but not really specifically one country or another, Aus has to offer something to counter the distance to attract $ - and there is still a lot of $ in that cateory.

 

 

[red750]

Hang on - are you telling me the south-eastern freeway (or Monash Freeway or whatever) is now a toll road? Blimey!

From Southbank to Toorak Road (including Domain and Burnley Tunnels) is tolled.

 

You might be right about the Frankston (Wells Rd) Freeway, as Eastlink (tolled) has taken a lot of volume from it. Eastlink becomes the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and this section is not tolled. Tullamarine Freeway is tolled from Bell St Strathmore to the City. The Westgate Bridge Freeway is free over the bridge and up to the tunnel but is tolled from there.

 

 

[facthunter]

Any time a toll road has a serious speed restriction on it you should not be billed for at least that section. The trouble with toll roads is the deals that rail or any competing roads will not be developed for years to ensure a satisfactory (for the owners) rip off happens. WE lose. There's a fuel levy for roads. That's the best way to fund. The more you burn the more you pay. Takes into account weight (damage) and mileage done. encourages economy too. Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

Yes Facthunter I have been keeping away from Melbourne since 1966, and Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. Gladstone Qld is too big for me, so I won't be contributing to the crowds in any cities.

 

I did pass through Melb. a couple of years ago, comong off the ferry to Tassie. Roadworks got us lost and instead of getting on to the Hume I went across the South of the city, then up the East side, through Toorak I think in the rush hour, wouldn't want to live there with all the traffic, then West back to the Hume. On the incoming journey I wanted to go to Moorabin, so left the Hume way North and was amazed at the extent of the city now.

 

Lovely to live in the bush and just a short drive to the airstrip.

 

 

[red750]

You kinda get used to it, particularly if you commute daily. You find a back route through the suburbs. Mind you, I wouldn't want to be a stranger trying to do it. I've lived in and around Melbourne since before I got my licence, and in this house since 1978, so pretty well know my way around. Also lived in western Sydney (near Parramatta) for 5 years, so can find my way around there also. I've been lost in Brisbane though.

 

 

[coljones]

Vehicle GPSs have the smarts and are valuable additions to a driver's navigation toolkit. There is nothing quite like driving through the centre of major cities around the world. On a smart phone, Google maps does a pretty good job. I have a Sydney Street Directory somewhere but I now use Google Maps or OzRunways to give me a good sense of where I want to go and a Garmin to get me there.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Melbourne is growing by about 1,700 a week. This is of great advantage to those who own shopping centers or blocks of flats. These owners sponsor politicians to keep it all rolling in, so don't look for any relief.

 

Does anybody know of a politician who is against extreme population growth?

 

 

[dsam]

Melbourne is growing by about 1,700 a week. This is of great advantage to those who own shopping centers or blocks of flats. These owners sponsor politicians to keep it all rolling in, so don't look for any relief.Does anybody know of a politician who is against extreme population growth?

Dick Smith

 

 

[bexrbetter]

Does anybody know of a politician who is against extreme population growth?

But we need Migrants to build our cars and white goods.

 

 

[turboplanner]

But we need Migrants to build our cars and white goods.

Unfortunately that's how out of touch they are!