Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail
The Network Development Plan – Metropolitan Rail was a long-term development plan for the rail network of Melbourne, Australia. It was written by Public Transport Victoria and released to the public on 27 March 2013 under the Napthine government and received minor updates in 2016.
Similar plans were intended to be released for regional rail, trams and buses. However, only the metropolitan rail aspect of the plan was released to the public by PTV. The Regional Network Development Plan was released by the Victorian Department of Transport in 2016.
The primary aim of the metropolitan rail plan was to improve the efficiency, reliability and patronage of Melbourne's train network and transition it towards a rapid transit system. It set out a number of goals over four stages, to be carried out over 20 years. Then-CEO of PTV Ian Dobbs estimated the whole plan would cost about $30 billion.
In 2019 PTV was abolished as an independent, statutory government body and absorbed into the Victorian Department of Transport. The plan was influential on Melbourne's transport planning but does not represent current government policy.
Background
The Public Transport Development Authority, later trading as Public Transport Victoria, was established by the Victorian government under Premier Ted Baillieu with the intent of, among other things, planning and improving the operations of the rail network.Plan
Below is the initial timeline of Stages 1–4 of the Network Development Plan of Metropolitan Rail which was released in 2013Stage 1: (Timeline 2012 – 2016)
This stage outlined immediate high priority goals to overcome urgent constraints, with a targeted completion date of 2016. All projects listed in Stage 1 had been completed in 2022.Stage 2: (Timeline 2016 – 2022)
The second stage focused on creating a "metro-style" system by segregating operations and creating end-to-end lines, with a targeted completion date of 2022. It is expected that most projects in stage 2 will be completed by 2025.Stage 3: (Timeline 2022 – 2027)
This stage focuses on extending the network to growth areas and suburbs without railway access, and utilising the preceding growth in capacity. It is to be completed within 15 years, before 2027.Some projects are planned to happen in the next decade. Some projects may be built in a different form of transit, such as Rowville line becoming a possible light rail corridor or Doncaster line becoming a proper bus rapid transit corridor.
Implementation of HCS across the network is uncertain as of 2023.
| Project name | Status | Starting date | Completion date | Notes |
| Melbourne Airport Rail Line | Planning | 2022 | Late 2033 | PTV Airport Rail Link study released in 2013 supported an Albion alignment. Federal government has committed another $2 billion for the project, with early works to begin near Sunshine station. Victorian government, the Commonwealth and Melbourne Airport have formally committed to building Airport rail via the Albion alignment. Completion date set to no earlier than late 2033 following lengthy negotiations between the Victorian government and Melbourne Airport regarding station placement. |
| Doncaster Line | Doncaster Rail study completed in 2014 showed preferred rail alignment. Excluded in the revised plan. | |||
| Rowville Line | Rowville study was completed in 2014, showing preferred alignment. Light Rail to Rowville is currently being planned, however has been put on pause due to the Suburban rail loop stage 1 taking priority. Currently moved into Stage 6 of the revised plan | |||
| Melbourne Metro 2: A new tunnel between Clifton Hill & Southern Cross via Parkville | Doncaster Rail study addressed the need for this future tunnel Currently split differently in the new revised plan in stages 4/5 | |||
| Electrification of the Serviceton Line from Sunshine to Melton | Early Planning | 2018 | TBC | Part of the Western Rail Plan. Western Rail Plan has not commenced past the early planning stage as of 2024. Upgrades to Sunshine station, set to be completed by 2030, will prepare the Melton line for future electrification. |
| Electrification of the Stony Point Line from Frankston to Baxter station | Business case released by both State and Feds governments. State government decided not to proceed with the project. | |||
| Duplication of the Cranbourne Line from Dandenong to Cranbourne | Completed | 2018 | 2021 | Construction brought forward to Stage 2 and being built in conjunction with Level Crossing Removal Project |
| Duplication of the Hurstbridge Line from Greensborough to Eltham | Completed | 2018 | 2023 | 950m of duplication from East of Montmorency station no longer being constructed to conserve endangered Eltham copper butterfly habitat and construction brought forward to Stage 2 of the Plan |
| A Brand New Railway Station on Sayers Road in Tarneit | Early planning | 2018 | TBC | Part of the Western Rail Plan. Western Rail Plan has not commenced past the early planning stage as of 2024. West Tarneit Station, near corner of Leakes and Davis Roads, is set to open in 2026. Additional stations to Wyndham Vale have not yet been announced. |
| A Brand New Railway Station in Truganina | Planning | 2022 | 2026 | Committed funding for early planning works for Truganina station in late 2022 |
| Order and Deliver of High Capacity Metro Trains | Underway | 2021 | TBC | Committed funding on 25 X-trapolis 2.0s instead of more HCMTs due to lack HCS expansion to the network. |
| High Capacity Signalling | Uncertain about expansion of HCS outside the Metro Tunnel corridors. |
Stage 4: (Timeline 2027 – 2032)
The final stage involves further utilisation of extra capacity and preparing for future growth in Melbourne. The stage is to be carried out within 20 years, before 2032.The reconfiguration of the metropolitan rail network will create seven independently operated lines similar to other rapid transit systems
Some projects listed are planned to be completed in the next decade but are still in their early stages. most details about these projects are still unknown.
| Project name | Status | Start date | Completion date | Notes |
| Quadruplication of the Lilydale line between Burnley and Camberwell | Currently moved into stage 3 of the revised plan as part of the Burnley Junction Rationalisation | |||
| Duplication of the Lilydale line between Mooroolbark and Lilydale | Currently moved into stage 3 of the revised plan | |||
| Duplication of the Werribee line between the Altona Loop/Werribee Junction and Seaholme | The loop has been partially duplicated as part of the Kororoit Creek Level Crossing Removal project. Feasibility study was completed in 2018. | |||
| Electrification of the Warrnambool Railway Line from Sunshine to Geelong | Currently moved into stage 5 of the revised plan | |||
| Electrification of the North East line from Craigieburn to Wallan | ||||
| Extension of the South Morang line from South Morang to Mernda | Completed | 2015 | 2018 | Includes 2 new stations at Middle Gorge and Hawkstowe. |
| Extension of the South Morang line to Fishermans Bend, with the Future potential to extend the railway in a tunnel under the Yarra River to Newport as the Metro Tunnel 2 Project | Currently split differently in the new revised plan in stages 4/5 | |||
| Reconfiguration of the City Loop | Currently moved into stage 3 of the revised plan, will be done on completion on Metro 1 | |||
| High Capacity Signaling | ||||
| Extension from Werribee to Wyndham Vale | Early Planning | 2018 | TBC | Part of the Western Rail Plan. Western Rail Plan has not commenced past the early planning stage as of 2024. |
2018 Transport for Victoria Plan
In October 2018, a Victorian Rail Plan prepared by Transport for Victoria was leaked to the press, containing a similar staged approach to the PTV NDMPR. The plan, released during the campaign for that year's state election, caused some controversy, as government policy announcements did not align with the strategic priorities identified in the plan. The Suburban Rail Loop, in particular, did not appear, and the TFV plan was further criticised for failing to prioritise meaningful service increases for regional corridors in the earlier stages of the plan. Government representatives argued that the plan was an "internal working document" and not representative of government policy; Opposition politicians contended that the plan was representative of the government's priorities.Metro Tunnel Day One
The first stage of the TFV plan had an intended completion date of 2025, aligning with the start of service on the Metro Tunnel. Some of the projects are under construction.| Project Name | Status | Starting date | Completion date | Notes |
| Metro Tunnel | Completed | 2018 | 2025 | Includes a turn back platform at West Footscray station. Completion date is moved from 2026 to 2025. The Metro Tunnel opened to the public on 30 November 2025 and will operate on the Summer Start timetable until 1 February 2026. |
| Cranbourne Line Duplication | Completed | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Somerton Link | TBD | |||
| Hurstbridge Line Upgrade Stage 2 | Completed | 2018 | 2023 | 950m of duplication from East of Montmorency station no longer being constructed to conserve endangered Eltham copper butterfly habitat |
| City Loop Reconfiguration | TBD |