West Gate Tunnel safety, Metro Rail Tunnel opening and SRL funding in the spotlight.

ABC NEWS (Australia)

It’s been a big day for some of Victoria’s major infrastructure projects. Melbourne's metro tunnel will open a week earlier than expected. The prime minister has promised extra federal funding for the embattled suburban rail loop and Melburnians also had their first look at the soon-to-open west gate tunnel.

Transcript

00:00It's full steam ahead for Melbourne's Metro Tunnel as it prepares to start taking passengers

00:07a week earlier than planned.

00:09This has taken a decade of vision and determination to deliver this project.

00:17The Premier today announcing the $15 billion underground rail line will now open on November

00:2230 as she and the Prime Minister toured the new State Library station.

00:27The early opening made possible after the project received the final tick of approval from

00:31the National Rail Safety Regulator, though it will start with a reduced timetable.

00:36Before we make the big switch, on the 1st of February where a thousand additional services

00:41will be added.

00:42But the biggest surprise today was saved for Melbourne's Suburban Rail Loop.

00:46The Prime Minister staying on board with the controversial project.

00:50If there have ever been two leaders who are infrastructure nerds, you are looking at us

00:56right here.

00:57And promising additional funding in the next federal budget.

01:01On top of the $2.2 billion already committed by the Commonwealth.

01:05But the PM stopped short of saying exactly how much.

01:08Well, you'll have to wait and see for the budget.

01:11We have budgets for a reason.

01:14Our Premier and our Prime Minister saying one day they might have some money to pay for something.

01:19I mean, frankly, that's worth nothing.

01:21Across town, more than 50,000 people also had tunnel vision.

01:27Malburnians taking the opportunity to explore the new Westgate tunnel on foot before it opens

01:32to cars next month with some already head over heels.

01:35I'm really, really impressed.

01:36It's been worth all those years of disruption.

01:39This is major, major, major infrastructure for Melbourne.

01:42This is big time.

01:43I think it'll be iconic.

01:45I think as time goes by, it'll become another centerpiece of Melbourne.

01:49The government claiming the tunnel will ease congestion and take thousands of trucks off

01:53local roads.

01:54I don't know how much traffic it's going to relieve, but it'll be interesting to see in

02:00the next year.

02:01Today's Westgate tunnel walk has gone ahead despite the objections of the Firefighters'

02:05Union who have again raised safety concerns about the project.

02:09They say that firefighters don't have the necessary resources to respond if there's an emergency

02:14in the tunnel.

02:15They're not going to be used as guinea pigs for them to open up their tunnel just basically

02:19on poles.

02:20We simply would not be opening the Westgate tunnel project if it was not safe.

02:25A big day for big build projects as eyes turn to the next state election.

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