Re: [Melb] Airport Heavy Rail Connection Needed! (longish post)

["Les Chandra" <les_chandra@asparagus.hotmail.com>]

Jeremy Lunn <spammers-will-die@austux.net> wrote in message
slrn9gh7a1.td.spammers-will-die@amalthea.dark.net">news:slrn9gh7a1.td.spammers-will-die@amalthea.dark.net...
> In article <90A88CC7AgunzelT333@203.50.2.80>, Michael wrote:
> > Ah. The local NIMBY movement in action. They claim to speak for
"everyone"
> > in the area. What a pity I *want* the airport line via Broadmeadows.

About a year or so ago, the PTUA suggested that the Broadmeadows route was
the preferred route. I was then one of two who had to go out to meet the
Broadmeadows Progress Association and justify our decision after we received
a battering.

The locals' concerns, apart from pure NIMBYism (which is there to a bit) are

(1) There was not going to be any upgrade to the Broadmeadows line. That is,
level crossings would remain, with express trains flying past;
(2) Trains would not stop anywhere between SS and the airport, meaning they
would lose some local amenity for no gain;
(3) They had been assured less than a year previously that there were no
plans for a rail line under the flight path, and so they had started
beautifying the area as a linear park. The route as proposed would bisect
the park, cut through the sports ground (I think 1/2 a pavillion would have
to be destroyed) and the facilities would be cut off from the residential
area;
(4) No-one had asked them what they wanted.

The govt proposal was also a line that would terminate at a station further
from the terminal than the main car park. The train would then have to speed
at incredible speeds to make up for the time taken to walk to the station.

Not smart.

The PTUA proposed

(1) Building the station right up at the terminal, meaning that trains would
not have to run so fast
(2) Running stopping trains from Broadmeadows through to the airport
stopping at 2 new stations along the way (as well as expresses).
(3) Upgrading the line south of Broadmeadows, and remove some of the worst
(if not all) level crossings.
(4) A proper EES process to make sure that environmental impact questions
were answered BEFORE anything was finally decided.

Put that way, the local residents were not so upset, and might have changed
their mind.

Now we have a new government, and where are we? Back to square 1.

Les