Victorian Government secures future for Airport West Station
The Deputy Premier of Victoria, Ben Carroll MP, today announced Victorian Government plans to acquire properties in Airport West to ensure a future train station for Airport West and Keilor East.
City of Moonee Valley Mayor, Cr Pierce Tyson, joined Deputy Premier Carroll, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Danny Pearson MP, and Melbourne Airport Rail director, Vito Trantino, on the site of the future Keilor East Station for today’s announcement.
It comes hot on the heels of last week’s announcement from Federal Transport Minister, Catherine King MP, of a mediator’s recommendation of an above-ground train station at Melbourne Airport.
Melbourne Airport has maintained its preference for a below-ground station, delaying the Airport Rail Link and, in turn, a vital connection for the Moonee Valley community.
In February 2023, the owners and tenants of the three properties were notified of the intended acquisitions, but they were put on hold when the project was paused.
The owners have now asked for their properties to be bought prior to the formal acquisition process, to provide them greater certainty.
In response, the Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP), which now oversees the project, is working with the Department of Transport and Planning to offer to purchase the properties early.
The Victorian Government has already acquired 36 of the private commercial properties required for delivery of the Melbourne Airport Rail.
The Airport Rail has become one of the most protracted sagas in Australian transport infrastructure history, having first been mooted more than half a century ago.
Mediator Neil Scales was appointed by the Federal Government in April to resolve the impasse, with Melbourne Airport’s insistence on a below-ground airport train station at odds with not only his findings, but the Victorian and Federal governments’ preference for an above-ground build.
“Melbourne Airport must acknowledge that no one wants an airport train station that will cost taxpayers billions more dollars, and take at least another two years to build,” Mayor Tyson said.
The future Keilor East Station is expected to service more than 150,000 Moonee Valley residents, and provide a new train line for commuters in Melbourne’s west.
Mayor Tyson expressed his gratitude to the Victorian Government for its timely intervention in acquiring the land parcel “that gets us so much closer to fixing the transport black hole in the north-west.”
“On behalf of all Moonee Valley residents, I’d like to thank the Victorian Government for getting on with the land acquisition needed to build a new station at Keilor East as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail project,” Mayor Tyson said.
“With this purchase, LXRP will be ready to go as soon as Melbourne Airport stops standing in the way of the works, and protecting its $160-million a year parking revenue.”
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(Issued Wednesday, 03 July 2024)
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