Controversial future of Melbourne's public transport network

A group of men behind the city loop are sharing lessons of the past, weighing in on the controversial future of Melbourne's public transport network.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
What's old is sometimes new. Just ask these men who
designed and built the city Loop tunnels. Forty years later,
they're checking out the metro tunnels.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
A major change to our network, really unlocking the capacity
of the city Loop.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
Parkville is one of the largest of the five new stations.
What's your impression of this new Parkville station?

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well, I'm overoiled by the scale for a start off,
Absolutely incredible size in these stations.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
Platform doors are the biggest change. They notice.

Speaker 4 (00:34):
It's world class. Is what the impression you get.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
The city Loop was criticized, its value debated. At a
time car was king.

Speaker 4 (00:41):
The bill was a lot harder for them. I think
over time, you know, we've got a lot better technology
and innovation and learnings from what they did. For that
is a.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
Part of the network that we can't imagine not having.
What about the suburban rail loop and its ballooning cost
threatening Victoria's credit rating? Does Melbourne need us some urban railrooop?

Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, Melbourne, Melbourne needs as much public transport as it
possibly can get, so I'd have to say yes, it's
a lot of.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Money, a lot of money. Do we need it? I
would believe so, But then I'm a transport sort of person.
I think the final city loop station opened seven years late.
The state government says this will open a year early.
We can expect trains running through here with passengers on
them sometime in November. You would have been happy to
work on.

Speaker 3 (01:28):
This, Oh, yes, absolutely, but they don't want a ninety
eight year old fellow.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
I reckon you could teach him a thing or two.
Blake Johnson, seven News