State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has cast doubt over funding and completion commitments on the project after the state budget was handed down on Tuesday, May 23.
Ms Lovell said details in the budget raised concerns that Shepparton would not get the nine services promised by the Andrews Government.
Ms Lovell said the budget papers showed that the Regional Rail Revival project, once listed to be completed in the 2023/24 financial year, now had no completion date set for the Shepparton line.
Ms Lovell also said the project was formerly valued at more than $400 million, but was now listed in the budget papers at just over $323 million, of which $320 million was federal funding and subject to the Albanese Government’s infrastructure review.
The total expected expenditure by completion was also listed as “to be confirmed”.
Responding to inquiries from the News, the state government did not directly dispute Ms Lovell’s interpretation of the budget figures, but did reiterate its commitment to stage three, which will allow for the nine services, saying it has invested $436 million across all three stages of the Shepparton line upgrade.
“Work is powering ahead on stage three of the Shepparton line upgrade to deliver nine return services for Shepparton passengers,” a spokesperson said.
“Works also include track speed upgrades between Seymour and Shepparton to enable trains to travel faster, and an extension of the stabling facility delivered as part of stage two to support more services.
“The Commonwealth is undertaking a 90-day national infrastructure review — we will wait for that process to run its course.”
The spokesperson said VLocity trains had been travelling to and from Shepparton since October last year, made possible by stage two of the upgrade.
Echuca line
The state government said the final stages of the Bendigo and Echuca line upgrade were under way.
It said coaches were replacing trains on the Echuca line until Wednesday, June 21 for upgrades to 60km of track, which will enable trains to travel at up to 100km/h between Goornong and Echuca.
The government spokesperson said trains already travelled at higher speeds between Epsom and Goornong thanks to track upgrades completed in 2021.
