The Melbourne Airport Rail Link (MARL) project has taken a big step forward today with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached between the Australian and Victorian Governments, and Australia Pacific Airports (Melbourne) Pty Ltd.
The MoU means all three parties have committed to work together to commence delivery of MARL and will establish a Steering Committee led by senior officials from each organisation to progress this project.
The MoU is the next step in delivering MARL and builds on the recent decision to kick start works on rebuilding Sunshine Station, said Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King.
“Many Victorians have spent a lifetime hearing of a rail link to the airport, and today we are telling them that we will work together in good faith to get it done,” said Minister King.
“We want to keep this project moving which is why we brought in an independent mediator, why we’ve been acting on his recommendations and why we’re investing to make it happen.
“MARL will enhance the resilience and reliability of the transport network, better connecting Melbourne’s growing population to where they live, work and play.”
Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister, Gabrielle Williams said rebuilding Sunshine Station was essential to enable services to the airport and Keilor East, with the project set to untangle six kilometres of track between West Footscray and Albion to cater for freight, metro trains and 70 per cent of the V/Line network – while also paving the way for future upgrades in the west.
“Melbourne Airport Rail Link is an important rail project, which will pave the way for faster and safer journeys for passengers across the state for decades to come,” said Ms Williams.
“We are getting on with delivering the first stage of Melbourne Airport Rail, reconfiguring freight, regional and Surburban tracks between West Footscray and Albion to make space for this important new rail link.”
