Premier Ben Carroll reversed an earlier hint of a pause and committed to pushing ahead with SRL East while cutting its total cost by about 6%. Scope changes will save $1bn, and an independent technical review will hunt a further $1bn in savings.
SRL East is the 26km tunnel section between Cheltenham and Box Hill, with the 2021 business case putting its maximum cost at about $34.5bn. Carroll had suggested a day earlier that other projects were more important to Victorians.
The pledge to build the SRL 'on time and under budget' tests whether the state can honour a signature megaproject while respecting taxpayer money, and it will shape Melbourne's rail network for decades.

Premier Ben Carroll reversed an earlier hint of a pause and committed to pushing ahead with SRL East while cutting its total cost by about 6%. Scope changes will save $1bn, and an independent technical review will hunt a further $1bn in savings.

SRL East is the 26km tunnel section between Cheltenham and Box Hill, with the 2021 business case putting its maximum cost at about $34.5bn. Carroll had suggested a day earlier that other projects were more important to Victorians.

The pledge to build the SRL 'on time and under budget' tests whether the state can honour a signature megaproject while respecting taxpayer money, and it will shape Melbourne's rail network for decades.

πŸ“° Source: Guardian AU
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