WHITTLESEA: ‘Release Wollert rail study’
Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams should immediately release the Wollert Rail Feasibility Study, says Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovell (pictured)
The City of Whittlesea’s Integrated Transport Plan 2024-2034 seeks to have the Mernda rail line extended from Lalor to Wollert by 2030, as Council expects the local population to almost triple, with the number of people in Epping North and Wollert going from 35,000 in 2019, to 95,000 by 2041.
Construction of the rail line extension has been constantly delayed due to Labor’s failure to first complete the rail feasibility study, Ms Lovell said
The Government’s 2017 Victorian Infrastructure Plan committed to commencing within five years, and is now three years overdue.
The Federal Government has recently updated the project webpage for the Wollert Rail Feasibility Study, stating that the study is expected to be complete in late 2025.
“But it is now December and it can’t get any later in 2025 – the Government must now release the study or come clean about why they have missed another deadline,” Ms Lovell said.
A Wollert resident recently contacted Ms Lovell to express his ongoing frustration with the Labor Government for its lack of progress on this vital infrastructure project.
He spends an hour and a half each way in his car getting to and from work.