Commitment to Metro 2

What is the ask?

Victorian Government

Council is seeking the Victorian Government to commit to bringing forward the business case for the Melbourne Metro 2 (MM2) project by 2026 and protect the land required for it to happen.

In particular, Council is requesting that a station in the Wirraway precinct be delivered to support the significant proposed resident and jobs growth by 2051.

Australian Government

Council is requesting the Australian Government to partner with the Victorian Government to commit to the early delivery of train infrastructure to Fishermans Bend, which includes a National Employment and Innovation Cluster (NEIC).

What is the issue this initiative will address?

High-capacity public transport and good active transport provision for Fishermans Bend are the required catalyst for development and job creation.

In 2018, Council commissioned PWC to complete a Fishermans Bend Economic and Transport Infrastructure Study. They found that:

• the tram and train would be transformative and that pushing back the timing of the tram risks lower density and more dispersed development outcomes
• early delivery of major public transport projects, such as the tram, is far and away the biggest determinant of success for the precinct
• Delivery of rail based public transport will maximise jobs and provide an anchor for development that could not be achieved by other initiatives.

What is Council proposing?

Council is seeking the Victorian Government to bring forward the business case for the Melbourne Metro 2 (MM2) project by 2026.

Melbourne Metro 2, with a stop in the Wirraway Precinct of Fishermans Bend, will unlock jobs growth through improved access in the area by providing a connection to the wider Melbourne train network.

Melbourne Metro 2 involves the construction of a new rail tunnel to fix a missing link by connecting Newport to Clifton Hill, accompanied by electrification to Geelong. This includes a station at Fishermans Bend, improving the connectivity of residents and businesses to the CBD and greater Melbourne.

Melbourne Metro 2 also provides broad network benefits such as improving capacity in the City Loop, improving train capacity to growth areas in Melbourne’s west and north, and unlocking the potential to deliver new rail lines.  The project also provides the opportunity for new electrified Geelong services to operate and provide a more direct route to Southern Cross.

The project will:

• directly create 7,000 jobs and indirectly support even more jobs
• reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions (emissions caused by cars are three times more per passenger kilometre than trains)
• encourage sustainable and integrated transport options
• improve the capacity of the network, deliver more frequent services and improve connections to Fishermans Bend
• strengthen the economy of the region by providing greater access to jobs and services.

How does this initiative align with the Council Plan and Victorian Government priorities?

Council

Council Plan 2021-31: Liveable Port Phillip - the City is well connected and easy to move around with options for sustainable and active transport.

The Move, Connect, Live Integrated Transport Strategy 2018-28 highlights that further assistance is required from the Victorian Government to grow and improve the transport network, including construction of the Melbourne Metro 2 train connection to Fishermans Bend.

Victorian Government

The Fishermans Bend Integrated Transport Plan and Infrastructure Victoria’s 30-year strategy further supports that rail links are critical to realising the development potential of the precinct, which is projected to have 80,000 new residents and 80,000 jobs by 2050.

Australian Government

The proposal aligns with the Australian Government Infrastructure Investment Program, which is part of the Government’s broader strategy to bust congestion, better connect our regions, meet our national freight challenge, get Australians home sooner and safer, and build a stronger and more resilient Australia.

How does this initiative assist the community recover from COVID-19?

The delivery of MM2 will strengthen the economy, providing direct employment during planning and construction and greater access to jobs and services, while aligning the public transport network with future development and population growth demands.

Cost and current status?

Cost

The estimated total cost of the project, including trains, works on affected lines and the tunnel itself is between $27.4 billion to $36.7 billion. This cost estimate is subject to a detailed cost analysis as part of a full business case.

Status

• identified as Recommendation 61 in Infrastructure Victoria’s Infrastructure Victoria Strategy 2021-2051
• public transport access to Fishermans Bend has been included as a High Priority Initiative within Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List 2021
• Fishermans Bend Framework 2018 endorses Metro Melbourne 2.

More information

Infrastructure Victoria | Victoria’s infrastructure strategy 2021-2051