I guess perspective is everything. $10.6b in 2016 ‘blowing out’ to 13b by 2024, seems pretty reasonable to me given the world events that have happened in that time, which could not have been reasonably foreseen.
And when was the completion date Sept 2024? There are billboards and train maps that have been saying ‘opening 2025’ for at least 5 years now.
More anti-infrastructure, NIMBY shit from 7news.
It was first reported by Herald Sun this morning so it is not NIMBY stuff.
For anyone in Sydney who is interested, there will be a Parramatta Light Rail community day at Prince Alfred Square this Sunday (June 23) from 10am to 2pm.
The contract completion date was Sept which is now June next year according to The Age - that doesn’t mean that the line is ready to open though (it’s basically when it stops being a construction zone and is handed over to the operator for testing)
A newly built Keon Park railway station in Reservoir in Melbourne’s north was opened this morning as part of the level crossing removal works, but not without another controversy.
The original station was located on the north side of Keon Parade in Thomastown, but the new station has been constructed on the south side to be closer to nearby shops.
The Victorian Government announced this morning that Melbourne’s tram network would have a new operator but the Yarra Trams brand would continue. A consortium of Transdev and John Holland would run the tram network from December 1 this year, for the next nine years. It will replace Keolis Downer joint venture, which has been operating Yarra Trams since 2009.
Transdev had previously managed Yarra Trams as part of another consortium from 1999 to 2009.
EDIT: AAP report including reactions from Transdev and John Holland.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/melbourne-tram-operator-dumped-for-rival-6-8b-bid/ar-BB1p1RJd
Both the Yarra Trams and Metro Trains brands are owned by the Victorian Government, IIRC, having originated as private operator brands.
UPDATE:
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Angus spoke to ABC Melbourne breakfast host Sammy J in the studio this morning regarding the airport’s compromise.
I’ll believe it when i can ride it. I’ve seen so many plans, things that are “confirmed” and yet i’m still needing to get a bus to the airport
Brisbane Metro will be running by October under a significant deal struck between the state government and Brisbane City Council to end a public stoush over transport funding. https://t.co/xDgi1dA8vX
— The Courier-Mail (@couriermail) July 8, 2024
An extra 160,000 bus services will be delivered across Brisbane each year and an additional 30m seats will be added to the Brisbane Metro.
The funding deal will allow Brisbane Metro vehicles to be deployed on the busy 169 bus route between Eight Mile Plains and UQ St Lucia from October 2024.
Premier Steven Miles said the investment would help services cope when the 50c fare trial arrives.
Once again, desperation in light of the upcoming election. It’s only money from taxpayers…
Good news I guess, but what was Melbourne Airport playing at? held up the project by 2 years for what? No information that has come out should have been new news, seems like it was just a power trip.
I’d say that it is more due to the Victorian Government’s overspending on other infrastructure projects that it is not able to put more money to an underground railway station, which eventually leads to the back down.
It was the airport being obstructionist.
Building an underground station 400 metres from the terminal is no better outcome than building an above-ground station 400 metres from the terminal.
What was their beef?
A cynic would say MelAir tried to drag the chain because a rail link would hit their precious car parking revenue.
The public justification from MelAir was that their future expansion plans includes a new terminal between the existing north-south runway and a future second north-south runaway, so would require an underground rail connection.
At no stage did MelAir want to front up the cash for this; even with their backdown today, there’s still a chance the Victorian government will have to reimburse them for the use of airport land to build the new (above-ground) station.
I wonder if the Feds will make this go away.
They can stick their car park. It’s shocking to begin with and it’s only going to get worse once the new drop off zone for departures is built where thousands of car parks will be lost.