BUILDING VICTORIA’S FUTURE: WILL THE PANDEMIC SLOW US – OR GROW US?

The Victorian Department of Transport is responsible for planning, building and operating Victoria’s integrated transport system. Our vision is to meet the aspirations of Victorians for a transport system that is simple, connected, accessible, reliable, sustainable and safe, while supporting a productive and growing economy.

RECORD INVESTMENT

Our Major Transport Infrastructure Authority is delivering the biggest infrastructure investment program in Victoria’s history – Victoria’s ‘Big Build’. More than $70 billion is being invested to meet estimated future demand for more than 23 million journeys a day and a tripling of freight by 2050.

These projects include the city-wide Level Crossing Removal Project, the new Metro Tunnel, major arterial road and suburban train line upgrades and extensions, the West Gate Tunnel, North East Link, and the Regional Rail Revival, which will see upgrades across every regional passenger line in the state.

THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC

When the coronavirus (COVID-19) began to spread in Victoria, as an essential service, transport operations ensured that frontline workers in health and other important sectors continued to have access to jobs.

Given the scale of Victoria’s food production, and the role of Port of Melbourne as Australia’s busiest container port, keeping Victoria moving was of critical importance to the nation.

Continuing construction was also critical in transport infrastructure delivery, with stringent health and safety measures in place to ensure works could continue.

BUILDING THROUGH THE LOCKDOWN

To stimulate economic recovery, the Victorian Government announced the $2.7 billion Building Works package to support projects and jobs in metropolitan and regional Victoria. The package includes funding for maintenance and upgrades of roads, public transport infrastructure, active transport, pier and jetty upgrades, rubbish and graffiti removal, and management of vegetation along road corridors.

When the Stage Four restrictions came into place in early August, the Victorian Government allowed critical infrastructure projects to continue. Victoria demonstrated that large-scale

infrastructure projects can be delivered safely in this environment by installing strict measures. These include temperature screening, increased cleaning, additional personal protective equipment, contactless pre-start sign-in, daily health screening of workers, staggered shifts and break times, on-site testing programs, and rapid response plans for positive cases.

REFORM AND INNOVATION

We are using this time to implement reform and introduce innovation to help keep our transport systems flowing when restrictions ease and demand resumes.

Technology, including the installation of CCTV cameras, wireless travel time sensors and real-time message boards in high congestion areas, is helping us get more from our existing infrastructure. It is also enabling our transport management control centre to better deal with incidents more quickly and commuters to plan their journeys accordingly.

We are also creating smarter intersections and testing new ways to harness real-time data. We want to help people make more informed choices about their transport – putting confidence and safety at the helm of travel across Victoria.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

We are working closely with our construction industry, unions and contractors to ensure Victoria’s Big Build continues as safely and smoothly as possible. With revised procurement practices in place, we are broadening employment opportunities across the community and looking to our social enterprises and businesses including the tier two, three and four markets.

2021 UITP GLOBAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT SUMMIT

In 2021, Victoria will host the Global Public Transport Summit for the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). This summit is the world’s largest event dedicated to sustainable mobility, and will be held from 14 to 17 December 2021. We hope you will join international and local sustainable transport leaders to delve into the future of mobility. Now, more than ever, it is important that we come together as a global industry to innovate and grow.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Department of Transport

Corporate Stakeholder and Industry Partnerships E: DoTCorporate@transport.vic.gov.au