Councillor fires off on Metro 2

By Sean Car

City of Melbourne Greens Cr Rohan Leppert has questioned whether the state government is serious about Fishermans Bend.

His comments followed the announcement of the state government’s preferred route for its Suburban Rail Loop project last month.

Cr Leppert fired off at the government on Twitter this month stating that it was “completely neglecting” rail to Fishermans Bend by choosing to invest all of its energy into the Suburban Rail Loop project.

“State government announces new Suburban Rail Loop authority, with construction to commence by 2022 (election year! Surprise!) – meanwhile Fishermans Bend rail continues to be completely neglected,” he wrote.

“Fishermans Bend WILL FAIL without public transport investment now. Docklands population is 11,000 but at least has some tram access and edges are walkable from Southern Cross.”

“Fishermans Bend planned for 80,000 residents and 80,000 jobs but zero public transport is funded.”

“The government cannot leave precincts half-planned and expect them to succeed. This will be the Andrews Government’s legacy of failure as Fishermans Bend is left to develop without any public investment in infrastructure.”

The state government has maintained its position that construction of the next stage of Metro cannot start until Metro 1 and a rail connection to the airport are complete. The City of Melbourne continues to advocate for the project as part of its transport plan.

While Metro 2 is considered key to realising the government’s population targets in Fishermans Bend, the project’s major benefit to our city is unlocking a major corridor between Mernda and Werribee – something transport experts say is as, if not more, important than delivering Suburban Rail.

The project also provides additional capacity for new services to Geelong through its connection to Melbourne’s west.

With construction of the current Metro project to finish in 2025, it would mean that an underground rail service to Fishermans Bend wouldn’t be delivered until at 2035 – 15 years before 80,000 residents and 80,000 employees are expected to live and work in the precinct.

The state government also continues to maintain that delivery of a new tram link to Fishermans Bend will be delivered by 2025, however a route is yet to be confirmed or funded.

Cr Leppert’s comments were followed by national Greens leader Richard di Natale this month proposing a “green stimulus package” in an effort to boost the nation’s economy amid a collapse in inner-city apartment construction.

Under the proposal, Mr di Natale called for the pipeline of “green infrastructure” to be brought forward, which includes Melbourne Metro 2.