An $85.5million extension of South Australia’s Tonsley rail line has been approved following the Coalition Government agreeing to match the State Government’s funding.
The extension is part of South Australia’s Flinders Link project and involves extending the existing Tonsley rail line by 620m, via a rail overpass, terminating at a new station next to the Flinders Medical Centre.
It will also involve construction of a 520m rail bridge extending over Sturt and South roads to a new train station to be built at the northern end of the medical centre.
The extension aims to create new connections to the health precinct and Flinders University.
The State Government has commended the decision to match its funding and called on the Coalition to also match Labor’s commitment to the Gawler rail electrification for commuters in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The Flinders Link is expected to be constructed concurrently with the $620million North-South Corridor Darlington Upgrade project, which is already underway.
The project is expected to support more than 70 jobs during construction, on top of about 370 jobs a year supported by the Darlington project. Both projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2018.
South Australian Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan said extending the Tonsley rail line will be a huge win for southern suburbs commuters, as well as the hundreds of thousands of workers, patients, students and visitors who attend the Flinders medical precinct and the Flinders University every year.
“We know the Darlington Upgrade will reduce travel times for motorists. The extension of the Tonsley rail line will also reduce travel times for passengers and create better connectivity between the Flinders and Tonsley precincts, as well as cycling and pedestrian links.
“I would also like to acknowledge the Member for Elder, Annabel Digance, who has been a tireless campaigner for this project.
“We now call on the Federal Coalition to match the Federal Labor Party’s pledge to electrify the Gawler rail line so that those in Adelaide’s northern suburbs can reap the benefits of a modern and efficient train network,” Mr Mullighan said.
