Hybrid trains touted as a solution to west Melbourne's transport woes
The Victorian Liberals have made a pre-election promise to deliver 25 new hybrid trains for the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines, to service a rapidly growing population.
The opposition is promising hybrid trains for Melbourne's west if they win the upcoming election in November. The $1.7 billion proposal includes 25 new hybrid diesel-electric trains on the Melton and Wyndham Vale lines. These lines currently run on smaller diesel V/Line trains, but residents are eager for electrification to support larger Metro services.
Former premier Daniel Andrews promised to electrify these lines in 2018, but shadow Minister for Public Transport Matthew Guy argues hybrid trains are a more realistic solution for the short term. He believes the opposition will manufacture these trains in Victoria and deliver them by 2030. However, Minister for Public Transport Vicki Ward dismisses this commitment as a "bizarre side-quest" as the opposition has not ruled out electrification.
Meanwhile, the newly upgraded Melton train station, which opened today, features longer platforms to accommodate more V/Line carriages and more commuter car parks. But residents argue more improvements are needed to handle the area's growing population, already the fastest-growing in Australia with an average of 38 new residents daily in 2024-25.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
