Re: Suggestions for a better Melbourne

["Michael Walker" <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

>Why not an extension to Sydney via Batemans Bay and Eden? It is equally as
>fanciful.


Actually, that idea makes more sense. Wasn't this similar to the planned
route for the original VFT proposal, the justification being that although
the Albury route was more direct, the Bairnsdale route offered much better
patronage, especially from holidaymakers?

>Like a Y-link at Sunshine, so trains can run from Bendigo to Broadmeadow to
>connect with SG trains.

Not to mention that Ballarat services could do the same. Indeed, we could go
one better than Sydney and run regular cross country services that go via
the outskirts of Melbourne but serve cross regional traffic without a change
of train at Spencer Street. That way you could travel from Seymour to Melton
or Shepparton to Ballarat. Or with a bit more track added you could travel
from Geelong to Bendigo or Albury direct. I am sure the extra expense of
trackwork and running the services would recoup itself in no time from the
extra traffic taken off the road from people wanting to travel around
Victoria in such a way...not!

>>In an ideal world, National Express would electrify to South Geelong.
>
>We do not live in an ideal world.
>
In the real world, what percentage of the money being proposed to be spent
on the Princes Freeway so that peak hour commuters can have an extra lane of
gridlock would be needed to be spent electrifying the railway line from
Werribee to South Geelong which would have a capacity far superior to the
extra freeway lane?