Travel time between Melbourne and several regional cities could be slashed if a new high-speed rail plan is adopted.
A 35-minute train ride to Geelong and a 15-minute trip to Melbourne Airport form part of the recommendations.
The Rail Futures Institute says the new services would help ease Melbourne’s population burden by encouraging more people to settle in regional areas.
The institute’s secretary, Doctor Bill Russell says the new network would ease Melbourne’s population burden.
“We’re facing doubling of our population over 25 years and unless we put in a method of supporting regional growth, Melbourne’s growth will be choking,” he said.
The report also calls for new regional trains able to travel up to 200 kilometers an hour.
Quadruplication of the Caulfield-Dandenong line has also been suggested.
“It’s critically important because we haven’t seen the doubling of the size of the city ever before.
“This is a planned way of making sure we get a very cost effective result for every dollar we put in,” Dr Russell said.
The report says Victoria should aim for a regional population of at least three million by mid-century.
