The state government is seeking a meeting as soon as possible with new federal transport and infrastructure minister Barnaby Joyce to try to get the $114 million upgrade of the Warrnambool rail line underway.
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The $114 million funding for the rail upgrade was announced in June last year and re-promoted this week by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull when he was in Geelong to highlight the Geelong City Deal that also covered projects throughout the south-west.
The state government has said the upgrade of the Warrnambool line will deliver more trains more often and pave the way to run VLocity trains to Warrnambool.
The works will upgrade track, signalling and improve more level crossings to run new trains and extra services to Warrnambool.
The project will also build a new crossing loop along the Warrnambool line.
The upgrades would improve safety, boost reliability and cut the trip between Warrnambool and Melbourne by up to 20 minutes, the state government said.
The works will also enable a fifth daily return service to Warrnambool.
Movement of freight by rail would also be improved with containerised products like meat and dairy moving more efficiently from a terminal at Dennington to the Port of Melbourne.
Another federal government funded project highlighted by Mr Turnbull this week was the $50 million upgrade of the Great Ocean Road announced last October.
The upgrade includes road resurfacing and pavement reconstruction from Point Reginald to the Princes Highway east of Warrnambool, including at key locations such as Princetown, Port Campbell, and Nirranda South.
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