Train jobs boost

DANDENONG-BASED company Bombardier has secured a $200 million State Government contract to build 40 new V/Line carriages.
Premier Ted Baillieu and Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder announced the project on Monday 26 November.
“Today’s announcement is good news for Victoria’s public transport network,” Mr Baillieu said.
“It is also great news for manufacturing jobs in Victoria with this contract securing more than 70 jobs at Bombardier.”
Mr Baillieu said the order would help meet continuing growth and the Regional Rail Link expansion, due to be completed in 2016.
Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the first of the carriages was expected to be delivered in 2014 and the last in late 2016.
“This is the first new order of regional trains since 2009, during which time demand on key regional lines has grown significantly,” he said.
More than 14 million passengers used V/Line trains in the past financial year, up 500,000.
Mr Mulder said the new train order was the latest step to plan for the future, as more people embraced the regional rail network.
“The investment in new trains for V/Line will increase the existing fleet of 134 VLocity carriages,” he said.
“The VLocity fleet has served Victoria well and we are confident that these trains will continue to perform for years to come.
“We are delighted that these new train carriages will be manufactured in Victoria, securing local manufacturing jobs.”
Mr Mulder said the new trains were expected to include about 70 per cent local content.
Bombardier Transportation Australia managing director Dan Osborne said Public Transport Victoria’s decision to purchase more VLocity units “further reinforces the excellent performance of the VLocity fleet”.
“These vehicles are designed and built in Australia using local expertise and the local supply chain,” Mr Osborne said.