MS PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (14:37:47) — My constituency question is for the Minister for Public Transport. My constituent is a member of the tram 86 campaign group which rallied today at the last stop of the number 86 tram line. Their proposal is to extend the tram line to South Morang to address congestion and a heavy reliance on vehicular traffic in our north. The May 2016 budget included funding for a feasibility study into this proposal. My constituent asks: what was the outcome of that study, and when will the report be publicly available?
Directed to: Minister for Public Transport
ANSWER:
A feasibility study into extending the Route 86 tram line four kilometres to South Morang was undertaken in 2017. The economic assessment of this study found none of the seven options proposed for extending the line would be viable for some time due to forecast low patronage, caused by low dwelling and population density along the route.
Importantly, the design of the new tram terminus at Bundoora will allow for any possible future extension of Route 86, and VicRoads has also allowed for a future extension within the road reserve as part of the Plenty Road widening project.
Currently, bus services provide a frequent and reliable connection between Bundoora, South Morang and Mernda.
