By CHERIE DONNELLAN
STATE Government could restore Geelong’s rail links to Ballarat and Bendigo for a tenth of its “unfeasible” $935 million design, according to an engineer.
Noel Laidlaw, of Carisbrook, said the Government’s $2 million rail revival study failed to identify cheaper alternatives that could have offered a “reasonable passenger service”.
The review led to the Government shelving proposals to restore Geelong’s regional links because of the cost.
But Mr Laidlaw said his own study suggested the links would be reinstated for only $95 million.
His proposal included reducing passenger train speeds to 100km/h – 60km/h below the Government’s model.
The slower speeds would have little impact on travel times, Mr Laidlaw said.
“The Geelong line used to be 80km/h and would take an hour and 10 minutes. The Government spent $200 million on the Geelong line for faster speeds and most trains now only arrive 10 minutes earlier.”
Mr Laidlaw estimated the $935 million model would cut travel time between the cities by “only” 20 per cent .
Public Transport Users Association Geelong spokesman Pest Westcott said the Government had presented a “Rolls Royce” model without alternatives.
But he was concerned Mr Laidlaw’s model would fail to offer passengers an “adequately improved” service, particularly between Geelong and Ballarat.
Existing bus services between Ballarat and Geelong stopped at more towns than a train service could achieve given the number of stations, he said.
“From what I’ve seen of [Mr Laidlaw’s report], there are only three or four stations where Ballarat-to-Geelong trains could stop when the current bus stops at 10 places – we’d be going backwards.”
