Tulla’s ’block’ boosts Avalon

NEW STATE Government problems building rail links to Melbourne Airport have bolstered Avalon Airport’s timeline to develop an international terminal.
A corridor set aside for the airport link to Tullamarine is now to host a new regional rail link, leaving Spring St with an expensive, politically awkward problem finding an alternative route.
The problem propels Avalon into serious contention as the quickest, cheapest and best fix for additional airline traffics as Melbourne’s populations grows 75,000 a year amid forecasts of flights rising from 200,000 to 280,000 over the next decade.
Avalon boss Justin Giddings said the Tullamarine rail link had been deliberately delayed to preserve the airport’s lucrative car parking trade.
“Now it’s at a point where it’s very expensive to do,” Mr Giddings told the Independent.
“They still need to look at it but in the meantime we have an airport here that’s much, much cheaper without the congestion of Tullamarine and the ring road.
“They can fix all those problems with a sensible approach at Avalon.’’
Mr Giddings said “everything here’s ready to go’’ and stressed the importance of State Government honouring its commitment to start work on a rail spur to Avalon in this term of office.
“It’s really important they stick to it,’’ he said.
Avalon faces stiff competition from Melbourne Airport as it seeks to expand its operations and lobbies hard for a third runway.
Late last year Mr Giddings warned of a Tullamarine traffic nightmare if the third runway went ahead without a rail link.
News this week that the Melbourne Airport master plan’s preferred rail route – the only one with land reserved – is no longer available raises the difficult issues of land acquisition, social impact and cost.
The more-desperate Melbourne’s case became the more-obvious the advantages of the Avalon option would be, Mr Giddings said.