Victoria: State Budget Outlines Public Transport, Roads Spending

Victoria’s new Labor state government has handed down its first budget, containing long-term plans to expand infrastructure and a focus on education.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Treasurer Tim Pallas announced plans for $22 billion of infrastructure projects over the next four years, these projects expected to create 100,000 jobs.

While public transport gets the lion’s share, the state government has included $2.4 billion over four years for its promised level rail-crossing removal program.

Fifty of the state’s level crossings are scheduled to be gone by 2023, but the Treasurer conceded only four of those are likely to be completed before the next state budget is due.

Beyond 2015/16, the crossings are scheduled to disappear at the rate of around eight per year.

Other road projects include upgrades for the Western Ring Road, Chandler Highway and Western Highways, along with duplication plans for the Princes Highway both east and west of Melbourne.

There’s also a $146 million safety program for young drivers and an $86 million regional road maintenance program.

Highways