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Growing and linking all of Victoria
Victoria today
Victoria has just passed the population milestone of five million residents and this figure is growing at a healthy rate. Regional population growth has been particularly good in recent years, spurred by new business investment in regional Victoria. The fast rail services to major centres in regional Victoria, the Spencer Street station redevelopment and the re-opening of several country rail passenger lines are all strengthening the links between Melbourne and other parts of Victoria. Metropolitan Melbourne has excellent public transport infrastructure and considerable investments have been made to further improve it.
Challenges ahead
Victoria’s population strategy has identified a number of substantial challenges such as the ageing of the population, demographic change in regional areas, the decline in birth rates and the need to boost skilled migration. Rejuvenating roads and public transport across the State to improve accessibility and efficiency still requires major investment over time. Congestion on Melbourne’s roads has real economic costs, and beyond the current major investment in the Mitcham Frankston project there is a need for ongoing development of urban roads and public transport around Melbourne—with a new focus on fast outer-city bus services linking suburban centres.
Measuring progress
We need both medium and long term measures of progress in this area. Growth in Victoria’s total population - including the regional population growth rate - is an important indicator of medium and long term progress. The efficiency and accessibility of our transport system for moving passengers and freight by rail between Melbourne and regional Victoria is critical for regional development. In Melbourne, increased public transport use will bring economic, environmental and social benefits and relieve congestion.
- Victoria’s total population will reach 6 million people by 2025, and regional population growth will increase to 1.25 per cent annually by 2006
- Regional rail services will be available to more Victorians
- The proportion of freight transported to and from ports by rail will increase from 10 per cent to 30 per cent by 2010
- Public transport use in Melbourne as a proportion of trips taken by motorised means will increase from 11 per cent in 2002 to 20 per cent by 2020
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