By Matthew Sims
Hobsons Bay council has shifted its official advocacy priority on rail transport to support Rail Futures Institute’s East-West Rail proposal.
As reported by Star Weekly, the Rail Futures Institute [RFI] has put forward the Melbourne East-West Rail proposal, which would combine the first stage of the Melbourne Metro 2 [MM2] project with the Western Rail Plan.
The proposed rail system would provide access points between the CBD, Spotswood and Melton, as well as a connection to Wyndham Vale.
During its meeting on Tuesday, September 13, the council passed a motion to amend its strategic advocacy priority to encoruage the state and federal governments to bring forward funding and planning for the proposal and reinstate the Paisley train station.
Hobsons Bay Strand Ward councillor Jonathon Marsden said the proposal would unlock the potential of the entire western Melbourne rail network.
“The idea has legs,” he said.
“It has a lot of community support and it’s one of our top advocacy priorities.
“It’s time to get a wriggle on.”
Fellow Strand Ward councillor Pamela Sutton-Legaud said she supported advocating for the proposal as it was focused on the amenity of the community.
“If we do not advocate for these sorts of projects and have them created in a way that benefits us, we end up with a travesty, which is the (West Gate) Tunnel,” she said.
“At the very least, I hope having a higher level of advocacy around this massive project will bring more benefit to us.”
Mayor Peter Hemphill said the motion would provide him with the impetus to request other western councils, such as Maribyrnong and Wyndham, also officially advocate for the proposal.
A state government spokesperson said the planned Metro Tunnel, Suburban Rail Loop and Western Rail Plan developments were continuing and satisfied the aims of the proposal.
“The government’s current solutions provide the benefits that this plan purports to achieve and it is happening right now,” the spokesperson said.
